The saints' everlasting rest; or, A Treatise of the blessed state of the saints, in their enjoyment of God in glory

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SAINTS' EvfeRLjCMiNG REST:

OR,

A TREATISE

OF IHE

BLESSED STATE OF THE SAINTS

\

IN THEIR
ENJOYMENT OF GOD IN GLOPvY,

EXTRACTED FROM ♦

THE WORKS OF MR. RICHr\RD BAXTER.
By JOHN WESLEY, M. A.

T-ATIu FEI.I.OW OF LINCOLN COLLEGE, OXFORia,

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NEW-YORK :

VOBI'ISHED BY EZEKIEL COOPER CJ* JOHN -VVILSO:..

Editors fs^ General Beck Steioardff^ for the

MBTHODIST CONKECTION IN THE UNITED STAtES.

JionJVSCN ISf LirriE^ PRUfrERU^

Brooklyn.

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TO THE

INHABITANTS OF KIDDERMINSTER.

MY DEAR IRIENDS,

IF either I or my labours have an;,- thing
of public use or worth, it is wholly (though not
only) \ours. I am convinced by Providtrnce,
that it is the will ot God it should be so. 1 his
I clearly discerned in my first coming to you, in
my former abode with you, and in the time of
my forced absence from you. When I was se~
parated by the miseries of the late unhappy war.
I durst not fix in any other congregation, but
lived in a military unpleasing state, lest I should
forestall my return to you. The offers of greater
worldly accommodations were no temptation to
me once to question whether I should leave you :
your free invitation of my return, your obedi-
ence to my doctrine, the strong affection which
I have yet towards you above all people, and tiie
general hearty return of love, which I find from
you, do all persuade me, that I was sent into the
v^orld especially for the service of vour souls :
and that even when I am dead, I might be yet
a help to your salvation, the Lord hath forced

me, quite beside my own resolution, to write thii>
treatise, and leave it in your hands. It was fut
from my thoughts ever to have become thus pui>-
lic, and burdened the world with any writing of
mine : therefore have I often resisted the request
of my reverend brethren, and some superiors,
who mignt else have commanded much more at
my hands. But see how God ovtr-ruleth and
crosseth our resolutions !

Being in my quarters far from home, cast in-
to extreme languishing (by the sudden loss of
about a gallon of blood, alter many years fore-
going weakness) and having no acquaintance
about me, nor any book but my bible, and liv-
ing in continual expectation of death, I bent my
thoughts on my everlasting rest : and because my
memory, through extreme weakness, was imper-
fect, I took my pen, and began to draw up my
own funeral sermon, or some help for my own
meditations of heaven, to sweeten both the rest
of my life, and my death. In this condition
God was pleased to continue me about five
months from home: where being able for nothing
else, I went on with this work, which lengthened
to this which you here see. It is no wonder,
therefore, if I be too abrupt in the beginning, see-
ing I then intended but the length of a sermon or
two. Much less may you v/onder if the whole
be very imperfect, seeing it was written as it were
with one foot in the grave, by a man that was
betwixt the living and dead, that wanted strength
of nature to quicken invention or affection, and
had no book but his bible, while the chief part
was finished. But how sweet is this Providence

( V )

now to my review, which so happily forced me
to that work of meditation, which I had I'urnier-
ly found so profitable to my soul ! and shewed
me more mercy in depriving me of other helps,
than I was aware of ! and hath caused n»y
thoughts to feed on this heavenlv subject, w/iich
haih more benefited me tiian ail tiic scuuicb of
my life.

And now, dear friends, such as it is, I here
off^r it you ; and upon the knees of my soui^ I
off^-r up my thanks to the mercii'ul God, who
hath fetched up both me and it, as from the grave,
for your service : who reverseiel the sentence of
present death, which by the ablest ph3siciaus was
passed upon me ! who interrupted my public la-
bours for a time, that he might trace me to do
you a more lasting service, which else I had never
been like to have attempted ! That God do i
heartily bless and magnify, who hath rescued me
from the many dangers of four years' war, and
after so many tedious nights and days, and so
many doleful sights and tidings, hath returned
me, and many of yourselves, and reprieved us
now to serve him in peace ! And though men be
ungrateful, and ray body ruined beyond hope of
recovery : yet he hath made up all in the com-
forts I have in you. To the God of Mercy I do
here offer up my most hearty thanks, who h;uh
not rejected my prayers, but hath by a wonder
delivered me in the midst of mv duties : anri
hath supported me these fourteen years in a Ian-
guishing state, wherein I have scarce had a
waking hour free from pain ; who hath, nbove
twenty several times, delivered mc whw*; I wui.

( vi )

near death. And though he hath made mf:
spend my days in groans and tears, and in a
constant expectation of my change, yet he hath
not wholly disabled me for his service ; and
hereby hath more eifectually subdued my pride,
and made this world contemptible to me, and
forced my dull heart to more importunate re-
quests, and occasioned more rare discoveries of
his mercy than ever I could have expected in a
prosperous state.

THE

SAIN^TS' EVERLASTING REST,

PART L

Hebrews, iv. 9.

There remaineih, tkercfore^ a Rest to the Peofik
of God.

CHAP. I.

This Rest dejined,

IT was not only our interest in God, and actual
fruition of liim, which was lost in Adam's fall •;
but all spiritual knowledge of hhu, and true disposi-
tion towards such a felicity. Man hath now an heart
too suitable to his estate ; a low state, and a low spirit.
As the poor man that would not believe that any one
man had such a sum as an hundred pounds, it was so
far above what he possessed : so man will hardly now
believe, that there is such a happiness as once he
had) much less as Christ hath now procured.

The apostle bestows most of this epistle in proving
to the Jews, that the end of all ceremonies and sha-
dows, is to direct them to Jesus Christ, the substance ',
and that the rest of sabbaths, and Canaan, should
teach them to look for a future rest. My text is his
conclusion after divers arguments to that end *, a con-

t The Saints'' Everlasting I^est,

elusion so useful to a believer, as containing the
ground of all his comforts, the efid of all his duty and
sufferings, that you may easily be satisfied, irhy I
have made it the subject of my present discourse.—
What more welcome to men under afflictions, than
rest ? What more \velcome news to men under
public calamities I Hearers, I pray God your en-
tertainment of it, be but half answerable to the ex-
cellency of the subject ; and then you will have cause
to bless God, wliile you live, that ever you heard it^
as I have that ever I studied it.

Let us see, 1. What this rest is. 2. What these
people of God, and why so called. 3. The truth of
this from other scripture arguments. 4. Why tliis
rest must yet remain. 5. Why only to the people
of God. 6. What use to make of it.

"^ And though the sense of the text includes in the
word Resiy all that ease and safety which a soul,
wearied with the burden of sin and suffeiing, and
pursued by law, wrath arxl conscience, hath with
Christ in this life, the rest of grace : yet berause it
chiefly intends the rest of eternal glory, I shall con-
fioe my discourse to this.

The rest here In question Ts, the most happy
•state of a christian, havin. obtained the end of his
course : or, it is the perfect endless fruition of God
by the perfected saints according to the measure of
their capacity, to which their souls arrive at death i
and both soul and body niost fully after the resur-
rection and final judgment.

1 . I call it the estate of a christian, to note both
the active and passive fruition, wherein a christian's
blessedness lies, and the established continuance of
both. Our title will be perfect and perfectly clear-
ed J ourselves, and so our capacity perfected : our

The Saints* Everlasting Rest^ 9

possession and security for its perpetuity perfect ;
our reception from God perfect ; and therefore our
fruition of him, and consequently our happiness,
will then be perfect. And this is the estate which
we now briefly mention, and shall afterwards more
fully describe.

2. I call it the most happy estate, to difference it
not only from all seeming happiness which is to be
found in the enjoyment of creatures, but also from
all those beginnings, foretastes, and imperfect de-
grees which we have in this lite.

3. I call it the estate of a christian, where I mean
only the sincere, regenerate, sanctified christian,
whose soul having discovered that excellency in God
through Christ, closeth with him, and is cordially
s«t upon him. ,

4. I add, That this happiness consists in obtaining
the end, where I mean the ultimate and p^mcipal end,
not any subordinate or less principal -jO'I. O how
much doth our everlasting state depend oii^rr light
judgment and estimation of our end !

But it is a doubt with many, wlvether the attain-
ment of this glory may be our end ? Nay, concluded
that it is mercenary : yea, that to make salvation the
end of duty, is to be a Legalist, and act under a co-
venant of works, whose tenor is, Do this and live.
And many that think it may bfi our end, yet think
it may not be our ultimate end ; for that should be on-
ly the glory of God. I shall answer these briefly.

1 . It is properly called mercenary, when we expect
it as wages for work done ; and so we may not make
it our end. Otherwise it is only such a mercenariness
as Christ commandeth. For consider what this end is ;

10 The Saints* Everlastmg I^esU

it is the fruition of God in Christ : and if seeking
Christ be mercenary, I desire to be so mercenary.

2. It is not a note of a Legalist neither. It hath
been the ground of a multitude of late mistakes in
divinity, to think, that Do this and live, is only the
lanijuage of the covenant of works. It is true- in
some sense it is ; but in other, not. The law of
wor- s only saith. Do this: (that is, perfectly fulfil the
whole law) and li<^e (that is, for so doing) : But the
law of grace saith, Do this arid iivr, too : that is,
believe in C'hrist, seek him, obey him sincerely, as
thy Lord and King : forsuke all, suffer all things,
and overcome, and by so doin<, or in so doing, you
shall live. If you set up the abrogated duties of the
law again, you are a Legalist : if you set up the du-
ties of the gospel in Christ's stead, in whole or in
part, you err still. Christ hath his place and work ;
duty hath its place and work too : set it but in its
own place, and expect from it but its own part, and
you go right ; yea, more (how unsavoury soever the
phrase may seem) you may, so far as this comes to,
trust to your duty and works ; that is, for their ovm
part : and many miscarry in expecting nothing from
them (as to pray, and to expect nothing the more)
that is, from Christ in a way of duty. For if duty
have no share, why may we not trust v.hrist as well
in a way of disobedience as duty ? In a word, you
must both use and trust duty in subordination to
Clnist, but neither use them nor trust them in co-or-
din-ition with him. So that this derogates nothing
from Christ ; for he hath done, and will do all his
•wor': perfectly, and enableth his people to do theirs :
yet he is not properly said to do it himself ; he be-
lieves not, repents not, but worketh these in them ;
that is, enableth and exciteth tliem to it. No man
must look for more from duty than God hath laid
tipon it ; and so much ws may and must.

The Saints'* Everlasting Rest. tl

3. If I should quote all the scriptures that plainly
prove this. I should transcribe a great part of the bi-
ble : I will therefore only desire you to study what
tolerable interpretation can be given of the following
places, which will prove that life and salvation may
be, yea, must be the end of duty. John v. 40. " Ye
will not come to me, that ye might have life." Matt,
xi. 12. •' The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence,
and the violent take it by force." Matt. vii. 13. i.uke
xiii. 24. " Strive to enter in at the strait gate." Phil.
TA. 12. " Work out your salvation with fear and trem-
bling." Rom. ii. 7. 10. " To them, who by patient
continuance in well-doingjseek for glory, and honour,
and immortality, eternal life. Glory, honour, and
peace, to every man that worketh t:,ood." 1 Cor. ix.
24. *' So run, that ye may obtain." 2 Tim. ii. 12.
•' If we suffer with him, we shall reign with him."
1 Tim. vi. 12. '* Fight the good fight of faith, lay
hold on eternal life."' 1 Tim. vi. 18, 19. '' That they
do good works, laying up a good foundation against
the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal
life." Rev. xxii. 14. " Blessed are they that do his
commandments, that they may have ri.^ht to the tree
of life, and enter in by the gates into the city." Matt,
Xxv. 34, 35, 36. " Come ye blessed of my Father,
inherit, Sec. For I was an hungered and ye," &c. Luke
xi. 28. " Blessed are they that hear the word of God,
and keep it." Yea, the escaping of hell is a right
end ot duty to a believer. Heb. iv. 1. " Let us
fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his
rest, any of you should come short of it." Luke
xii. 5. " Fear him that is able to destroy both soul
and body in hell ; yea, (whatsoever others say) I say
unto you, fear him." I Corrix. 27. " I keep under
my body, and bring it into subjection ; lest when I
have preached to others, I myself should be a cast-
away." Multitudes of scriptures and scripture-ar-
guments might be brought, but these may suffice to
any that believe scripture.

12 The Saints^ Everlasting Rest* *

4. For those that think this re-it may be our encV
but not our ultimate end, that must be God*s r;lory
only : I will not gainsay them. Only let them con-
sider, liliat God hath joined-^ man 7nufit not separate.
The glorifying himself and the saving of \\\% people
(as I judge) are not twa ends with God, but one ;
to glorify his mercy in their salvation ; so 1 think
they should be with us together intended : we should
aim at the glory of God (not alone considered, with-
out cur salvation, but) in our salvation. Therefore
I know no warrant for putting such a question to our-
selves, as some do, whether we could be content to
be damned, so God were glorified ? Christ hath put
no such questions to us, nor bid us put such to our-
selves. Christ had rather that men would enquire af-
ter their true willingness to be saved, than their wil-
lingness to be damned. Sure I am, Christ himself is
offered to faith, in terms for the most part respect-
ing the welfare of the sinner, more than his own ab-
stracted glory. He would be received as a Saviour,
mediator, redeem.er, reconciler, and intercessor.—
And all the precepts of scripture being backed with
90 many promises and threateniugs, every one in-
tended of God, as a motive to us, imply as niuch.

5. I call a Christianas happiness, the end of his
course, thereby meaning, as Paid^ 2 Tim. iv. 7. the
Avhole scope of his life. For salvation may and nmst
be our end ; and not only the end of our faith (though
that principally) but of all our actions : For as what-
soever we do, must be done to the glory of God, so
must they all be done to our salvation.

6. Lastly^ I make happiness to consist in this end
obtained ; for it is not the mere promise of it that
immediately makes perfectly happy, nor Christ's
mere purchase, nor our mere seeking, but the ap-
prehending and obtaining, which sets the crown on
the saint's head.

Yh€ Saints^ Everlasting Kesi. i'

CHAP. II.

What this Rest pre-supposeth.

FOR the clearer understanding the nature of
this rest, you must know,

( 1 .) There are some things pre-supposed to it.

(2.) Some things contained in it.

(3.) All these things are pre-supposed to this resl.

1. A person in motion, seeking rest. This is maa
liere in the way : artgels have it already ; and the
devils are past hope.

5. An end towards which he moveth for rest. This
oan be only God. He that taketh any thing else for
happiness, is out of the way the first step. The prin-
cipal damning sin, is- to make any thing besides God
our end or rest. And the first true saving act, is, to
choose God only for our end and happiness.

3. A distance is pre-supposed from this end, else
there can be no motion towards it. This sad distance
is the case of all mankind since the fall : it was our
God that we principally lost, and were shut out of
his gracious presence ; and since are said to be nvith-
tut him in the world : nay, in all men, at ai^e, here is
supposed, not only a distance, but also a contrary
motion. When Christ comes with regenerating.', sav.-
mg grace, he finds no man sitting still, but all post-
ing to eternal ruin ; till, by conviction, he first brings
them to a stand, and by conversion, turn* first tbe?r
heartii, and then their lives, to himself.

B

14 The Saints^ Everlasting J^est,

4. Here is pre-supposed the knowledge of thettihe

ul^i.nate end and its excellency : and a se-ricus in-
lenchng it. P'or so the motion of the rational crea-
ture proceedeth : an unknown end, is no end ; it is a
coiitraaiclion. We cannot make that our end, which
we know not ; nor that our chief end which we know
not, or judge not to be the chief good. Therefore
where this is not known, that God is this end ; there
is no obtaining rest in any ordinary way, whatsoever
may be in ways that by God are kept secret.

5 Here is pre-supposed, not only a distance from
this rest, but also the true knowledge of this distance.
If a man have lost his way, and know it not, he seeks
not to return : therefore they that never knew they
were without God, never yet enjoyed him ; and they
that never knew they were actually in the way to hell,
did never yet know the way to heaven ; nay, there
will not only be a knowledge of this distance, and lost
estate, but affections answerable. Can a man find
himself on the brink of hell, and not tremble r /Or
iind he hath lost his God, and his soul, and not cry
out, / am undone I

6. Here is also pre-supposed, a superior moving
cause, else should we all stand still, and not move a
step forward toward our rest ; no more than the infe-
rior wheels in the watch would stir, if you take away
the spring, or the first mover. This is God. If
God moves us not, we cannot move. Therefore it is
a most necessary part of our christian wisdom, to keep
our subordination to God, and dependence on him ;
to be still in the path where he walks, and in that way
^'here his Spirit doth most usually move.

7. Here is pre-supposed, an internal principle of
life in the person. God moves not man like a stone,
but by enduing him first with life (not to enable him
t« move without God, but) tJicrcby to qualify him

TheSai?its^ EDcrlastlng ReH. 15

to move himself, in subordiiiatioa to God, the first

mover.

8. Here is prc-supposed also, such a motion as i&
rightly ordered and directed toward the end. Not all
motion or labour bringjs to rest. Every way leads not
to this end ; but he who^c i^oodness hath appointed
the end, hath in his wi-.dom, and by his sovereign
authority, appointed the way. Christ is the door, tha^
only way to this rest. Some will allow nothinj^ else
to be called the way, lest it derogate from Christ. The
truth is, Christ is the only way to the Father : yet
faith is the way to Christ ; and gospel obedience, or
faith and woncs, the way for those to walk in, that
are in Christ.

9. There is supposed also, a strong and constant
motion, which may reach the end. The lazy world
that think all too much, will find this to their cost
one day : they thatthink less ado might have served,
do but reproach Christ for making us so much to do.
They that have been most holy, watchful, painful to
r^et to heaven, find, when they come to die, all too
little : we see daily the best christians, when dying,
repent their negligence : I never knew any then re-
pent his holiness and diligence. It would grieve a
man's soul to see a multitude of mistaken sinners lay-
out their care and pains for a thing of nought, and
think to have eternal salvation with a wish. If the
way to heaven be not far harder than the world ima-
gines, Christ and his apostles knew not the way : for
they have told us, " That the kingdom of heaven suf-
fereth violence ; that the gate is strait, and the way
narrow ; and we must strive, if we will enter ; for
many shall seek to enter, and not be able,'* (which
implies, the faintness of their seeking, and that they
put not strength to the work ;) and tliat the rU^hteo^s
themselves are scarcclh' saved.

16 The Saints' Everlasting Rest.

1 have seen this doctrine also thrown by with cour
t«mpt by others, who say, What! do ye set us a
^^crking for heaven ? Doth our duty do any thing ?
Hath not • hrist done all ? Is not this to make him
an half Saviour, and to preach the law ?

Ans. It is to preach tjic law of Christ ; his subjects
are not lawless ; it is to preach duty to Christ. None
a more exact requirer of duty or hater of sin, than
Christ. Christ hath done, and will do, all his work ;
and therefore is a perfect Saviour : but yet leaves us
ft work too : he hath paid all the price, and left u&
none to pay : yet he never intended his purchase
should put us into absolute title to glory, in point of
law, much less into immediate possession. He hath
purchased the crown to bestow, only on condition of
believing, denying all for him, suffering with him,
persevering and overcoming. He hath purchased jus-
tification to bestow, only on condition of believing,
yea, repenting and believing : thoujrh it is Christ that
cnableth also to perform the condition. It is not a
Saviour offered, but received also, that must save i
it is not the blood of Christ shed only, but applied
also, that must fully deliver ; nor is it applied to the
justification or salvation of a sleepy soul. Nor doth
Christ carry us to heaven in a chair of security. Our
righteousness, which the law of works requireth, and
by which it is satisfied, is wholly in Christ, and not
one grain in ourselves : nor must we dare to think of
patching up a legal righ-.eousness of Christ's and our
own together ; that is, that our doings can be the
least part of satisfaction for our sins. But yet om-selves
must personally fulfil the conditions of the new cove-
nant ; and so have the perfect evangelical righteous-
ness, or never be saved by Christ's righteousness.
Therefore say not, it is not duty, but Christ ; for it is
Christ in a way of duty. As duty cannot do it with-
out Christ, GO Christ will net do it without dutv.

The Saint:^ Ever taking jRa-t, IT

And as this motion must be strong, so must it be
constant, or it wiil fall short of rest. To begin in the-
spirit, and end in the flesh, will not bring to the end
of the saints. Men, as holy as the best of us, have fal-
len oft'. Read but the promises, Rev. ii. and iii. to
/n'm that overcometh. Christ's own disciples must be
commanded to continue in his love, and that by keep^
iuL^ his commandments : and to abide in him, and his
word in them. See John xv. 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10.

CHAP. III.

What this Rest contdnetko

\, THERE is contained in this Rest,

I. A cessation from motion or action. Not from
all action, but of that which implies the absence of
the end. When we have obtained the haven, we have
done sailing ; when we are at our journey's end we
have done v/ith the way. Therefore prophesying?:
ceaseth, tongues fail, and knowledge shall be done
away ; that is, so far as it was imperfect. There shall
be no more praycr,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, be-
ing out of the reach of sin and temptations. Nor will
there be use for instructions and exhortations: preach-
ing is done : the ministry of man ceaseth : sacraments
useless : the labourers called in because the harvest is
gathered : the unregenerate past hope, the saints past
fear, for ever. Much less shall there be any need of
labouring for inferior ends, as here we do ; seeing
they shall all devolve themselves into the ocean of
the ultimate end, and the lesser good be swallowed.
»ip in the greatest,

fi 3

i^ The Saints' Everlasting Resi,

2. This rest containeth a perfect freedom from all
the evils that accompany us throui^h our course, and
which necessarily follow our absence from the chief
^ood : besides our freedom from those eternal flames,
which the neglectors of Christ must endure. There
is no such a thing as grief and sorrow known there :
nor is there such a thing as a pale face, a languid bo-
dy, feeble joints, unable infancy, decrepid age, pec-
cant humours, painful sickness, griping fears, con-
sumin,:^ care, nor whatsoever deserves the name of
evil. Indeed a gale of groans and sighs, a stream of
tears, accompanied us to the very gates, and there bid
us farewell forever. " 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."

3. This rest containeth the hjyghest degree of per-*
fection, both of soul and body. This qualifies them
to enjoy the glory, and thoroughly to partake the
sweetness of it. Were the glory never so great, and
themselves not made capable of it, it would be little
to them. But the more perfect the appetite, the
sweeter the food. The more musical the ear, the
more pleasant the melody. The more perfect the
lioul, the more joyous those joys, and the more glo-
rious is tliat glory. Nor is it only sinful imperfec-
lion that is removed, nor only that which is the fruit
of sin, but that which adhered to us in our pure na-
aire. There is far more procured by Christ, than
tvas lost by Adam. It is the misery of wicked men
here, that all without them is mercy, but within them
an licart full of sin, shuts the door against all, and
makes them but the more miserable. When all is
well within, then all is well indeed. Therefore will
God, as a special part of his saints' happiness, per-
fect themselves as well as their condition.

4. This rest containeth, as the principal part, our
nearest fruitio^ of ^oU. As all good whatsoever is

The Sarnta^ Everlasting Rest^ Id

comprised in God, and all in the creature are but
drops of this ocean ; so all the glory of the blessed is
comprised in their enjoyment of God : and if there
be any mediate joys there, they are but drops from
this. If men and angels should study to speak the
blessedness of that estate, in one word, what can they
say beyond this, That it is the nearest enjoyment of
God ? Say, they have God ; and you say, they have
all that is worth the having. O the full joys oflered
to a believer in that one sentence of Christ's 1 I would
not for all the world that verse had been left out of
the bible ; " Father, I will, that those whom thou hast
given Me, be with me where I am, that they may be-
hold my glory, which thou hast jj.iven me." John
xvii. 24. 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 these thy servants
that stand continually before thee, and that hear thy
wisdom ;" then sure they that stand continually be-
fore God, and see his glory, and the glory of the
Lamb, are somewhat more than happy ; to them
will Christ give to eat of the tree of life, which is in
the midst of the paradiae of God. Rev. ii. 7.

5. This rest containeth a sweet and constant action
©f all the powers of the soul and body in this fruition
of God. But great will the change of our bodies and
senses be, even so great, as now we cannot conceive.
If grace makes a christian difTer so much from what
he was, that the christian could say to his companion,
Ego 7ion sum ego : I am not the man 1 ivua ; how much
more will glory make us dift'er I We may then say
much more, This is not the body I had, and these are
not the senses I had. Yet because we have no other
name for them, let us call them senses ; call them eyes
and ears, seeing and hearing : but conceive, that as
much as a body spiritual, above the sun in glory, ex-
ceedeth these frail, noisome, diseased lunips of flesh,
that we now carry about us ; so far shall our senses of

20 The Saints^ Everlasting Jfesi,

seeing and hearing exceed these we now possess : for
the chr.nge of the senses must be conceived propor-
tionably to the change cf the body. And doubtless
as God udvanceth our sense, and enlargeth our capa-
city ; so v.'ill i-ie advance the happiness of those
senses, and fill up with himself all that capacity. —
And certainly the body should not be raised up, if it
should net share in th<^ glory ; for as it hath shared
in the obedience and sufferings, so shall it also do in
the blessedness : and as Christ bought the whole
man, so sliall the v/hoie partake of the everlasting
benefits of the purchase.

And if the body shall be thus employed, O how
s^.ali the soul be taken up I As its powers and capaci-
ties are greatest, so its actions are strongest, and its
enjoyments sweetest. As the bodily senses have their
proper aptitude and action, v.hertby they receive and
enjoy their objects ; so doth the soul in its own ac-
tion, enjoy its ov/n object : by knowing , by thinLing,
and remembering, by lovin;^, and by delightful joy-
ing ; by these eyes it sees, and by these arms it ern-
braceth. If it might be said of the disciples with
Christ on earth, much more that beheld him in his
glory, " Blessed are t'le eyes that see the thin,vs that
you see, and the ears that hear the things that you
hear : for many princes and great ones have desired
^and hoped) to see the things that you see, and have
not seen tliem," 8cc. Matth. xiii. 16, 17.

Kno^vledn:e, of itself, is very desirable. As far as the
rational soul exceeds the sensitive, so far the delights
of a philosopher, in discovering the secrets of nature,
and knowing the mystery of sciences, exceeds the de-
lights of the glutton, the drun'.ard, and of all volup-
tuous senfiuaiists whatsoever; so excellent is all truth.
What th^n is their delight, who know the God of
truth ? What would I not give, so that all the uncer-
tain principles in logic, naiural philosophy, metaphy-

The Saints' Everlasting JResU 21

>;cs, and medicine, were but certain ? And that my
*lull, obscure notions of them, were but quick and
clear ? O what then would I not perform, or part with,
to enjoy aclear and true apprehension of the most true
God! How noble a faculty of the soul is the under-
standing ! it can compass the earth ; it can measure
the sun, moon, stars, and heaven ; it can foreknow
each eclipse to a minute, manj^ years before: yea, but
this is the top of all its excellency, it can know God,
who is infinite, who made all these ; a little here,
and much more hereafter. O the wisdom and good-
ness of our blessed Lord ! he hath created the under-
standing v/ith a natural bias to truth., and its object ;
and to the prime truth as its prime object : and lest
we should turn aside to any creature, he hath kept
this as his own divine prerogative, not communicable
to any creature, viz. to tlie prime truth.

Didst thou never look so long upon the Son of God,
till thine eyes were dazzled '\\ith his astonishing glo-
ry I and did not the splendor of it make all things
below seem black and dark to thee, when thou look-
est down again, especially in the days of suffering
for Christ ? (when he usually appears raost manifesly to
his people) didst thou never see one walking in the
midst of th'Jif^ry furnace with ihecy like the Son of Cod?
If thou know him, value him as thy life, and follow
on to know him ; and thou shalt know inccinparably
more than this. Or if I do but renew thy [^ric^ to
t^ll thee what thou once didst feel but now Iiast lost j
I counsel thee to " remember whence thou art fallen,
and repent, and do the first works, and be watchful,and
strengthen the things wliich remain;" a^^.d I dare pro-
mise thee (because (xod hath promised) thou shalt sec
and know that which here thine eye could not see, nor
thy understanding conceive. Believe me, christians,
yea. believe God ; you that have known most of
God in Christ here, it is nothing to that you shall
kn»w ; it scarce., in comparison ©f that, deserves tf

22 r/ie Saints* Everlastmjr I^en.

be called knowledt^e. The difference betwixt our
knowledge now, and our kp.o^^-led,u;e then, will be as
great as that between our ficshly bodies now, and our
spiritual bodies then. For as these bodies, so that
knowledti-e must cease, that a more pt:rfect may suc-
ceed. Our silly childish thoughts of God, which
now is the highest we can reach to, must give place
to a more mahly knowledge.

Marvel not, therefore, how it can be life eternal u
knoTj G'jd and his son Jesus Christ: to enjoy God
and his Christ is eternallife, and the soul's enjoying
is in knowing. They that savour only of earth, and
have no way to judge but by sense, and never were
acquainted with this knowledge of God, think it a
poor happiness to know God. Let them have health
and weahh, and worldly deli.shts, and take you the
other. Alas, poor men ! they that have made trial
of both, do not envy your happiness : O that you
would come near, and taste and try as they have done,
and then judge ; then continue in your former niind,
if you can. For our parts we say with that knowing
apostle (though the speech may seem presumptuous)
1 John v. 19, 20. '^ We know that we are of God, and
the whole world lieth in wickedness : and we know
that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an
understanding, that we may imow him that is true ;
and we are in hira that is true, in his Son Jesus
Christ : this is the true God and eternal life." The
Son of God is come to be cur head and fountain of
life, and hath gi-ven us an uraUrstanding^ that the soul
may be made capable to knoiv him (God) that is true^
the prime truth ; and we are brought so near to this
enjoyment, that tve are in him that is true : we are
in him. by being in Jiis Son Jesus Christ : this is the
trut God, and so, the fittest object for our under-
standing, afid this knowing of him, and being in
him, in Christy is eternal life.

The Saints' Everlasting J^e^t. 2j

And doubtless the memory v, ill not be idle in this
"hlessed v/ork. If it be but by loo ling back, to help
the soul to value its enjoyment. Our knowled: e will
be enlarged, not diminished ; therefore the know-
ledge of things past shall not be taken away. Irom
that height the saint can look behind him and before
him : and to compare past with present things, must
needs raise in the blessed soul an inconceivable sense
of its condition. To stand on that mount, whence
Tve can see the -wilderness and Canaan both at once ;
to stand in heaven, and look back on earth, and v.ci;.h
them together in the balance, how must it transport
the soul, and make it cry out, Is this the purchase
-that cost so dear as the blood of God ? O blessed price,
and thrice blessed love ! Is this the end ef heHevin<; ?
is this the end of the Spirit's workings ? have the
gales of grace blown me into such an harbour ? is it
hither that Christ hath enticed my soul ? O blessed
way, and thrice blessed end ! Is riiis the glory which
the scriptures spoke of, and ministers preached of so
much ? Now I see the gospel indeed is good tidings,
even tidings of gnat joy to all vadojis ! Is my mourn-
ing, my fasting, my heavy walking, groanings, com-
plainings, come to this ? Are all my afliictions and
fears, all Satan's temptations and the world's scorns,
come to this I O vile nature, that resisted such a
blessingl Unworthy soul I is thistheplace thou earnest
so unwillingly to ? was the world too good to lose ?
didst thou stick at leaving all, denying all, and suf-
fering any thing for this ? O false heart I that had
almost betrayed me to eternal flames, and lost mc
this glory! O base flesh I that would needs have been
pleased, though to the los#of this felicity I didst thou
make me to cpiesticn the truth of thio l lory ? didst
thou draw me to distrust the Lord ? My soul, art
thou not ashamed that ever thou didst Cjuestion that
love that hath brought thee hither ? that thou wast
jealous of the faithfulness of thy Lord ? that thou
isiispectedst his love, when thou shouldst have only

24 The Saints'* Everlasting Jfest,

suspected thyself? that tliou didst not live confiftil-
sdly transported with thy Sauotn's love ? and that
ever thou quenrliedst a iiK)tlon of his Spirit ? art thou
not ashamed of all thy hard thoughts of such a God ?
of all thy mis-inteipretinp^ those providences, an^l re-
pining at those ways that have such an end ? Now
thou art convinced that the ways thou calledst hard,
and the cup thou calledst bitter, were necessary : that
thy Lord meant thee better than thou wouldst be-
lieve : and that thy Rwlecmer was saving thee, ag
well when he crossed thy desires, as when he granted
them ; as well when he broke thy heart, as when he
bound it up. No than .s to thee, for this crown ; but
rp Jehovah and the I^amb for ever.

Thus, as the memory of the wicked will eternally
]»romote their torment, to look back on the sin com-
mitted, the grace refused, Christ neglected, and time
lost ; so will the memory of the saints for ever pro-
mote their joys.

But O the full, the near, the sweet enjoyment, k
that of the affections, love and joy : it is near for
love is the essence of the soul, and love is the essence
©f God. God is love^ and he that dwclleth in love
dnvclleth in God, and God in him. The acting of this
affection wheresoever, carrieth much delight with it ;
especially when the object appears deserving, and the
affection is strong. But what will it be, when per-
fect affections shall have the strongest, perfect acting
upon the most perfect object ? Now the poor soul
complains, O that 1 could love Christ more I But I
cannot, alas, I cannot : yea, but then thou canst not
choose but love him ; I had almost said, forbear if
thou canst. Now thou kncwest little of his amiable-
ncss, and therefore lovest little : then thine eye willl
affect thy heart, and the continual viewing ol that
perfect beauty, will - eep thee in continual ravishments
of love. Now thy salvation is not perfected? nor all

the nvci'cies purchased, yet given in : but when the
toji stone is set on^ thou ahalt vjif.h shoutif'gs cri/, Grace,
grace. Christians, cloth it now stir up your love, to
remember all the experiences of his love ; to look
back upon a life of mercies ? doth not kindness melt
you ? and the sunshine of divine goodness warm your
frozen hearts ? What will it do then, when you shall
live in love, and have all in him, who is ail ? O the
high delighrs of love ! of this love ! the content that
the heart findeth in it '. the satisfaction it brings along
with it I surely love is both work and wages.

And if this were all, what a high favour, that God.
will give us leave to love him ! that he will vouchsafe
to be embraced by such arms that have emiiraced sin
before him \ But this is not all, he returneth love for
love : nay, a thousand limes more, as perfect as wc
shall be, we cannot reach his measure of love ; chris-
tian, thou wilt then be brimful of love ; yet love as
much as thou canst, thou shalt be ten thousand timefS
more beloved. Dost thou think thou canst over-love
him ? what, love more than love itself ? were the
arms of the Son of God open upon the cross, and an
open passage made to his heart by the spear ? and will
not arms and heart be open to thee in. glory ? did he
begin to love before thou lovedst, and will he not con-
tinue now ? did he love thee an enemy ? thee a sin-
ner ? thee who even loathedst thyself.' and oM^n thee
when thou didst disclaim thyself ? and will he not
now unmeasurably love thee a son ? thee a perfect
saint ? thee who retumest love for love ? thou wast
wont injuriously to question his love: doubt of it
now if thou canst. As the pains of hell will convince
the rebellious sinner of God's wrath, who would ne-
ver before believe it : so the joys of heaven will con-
vince thee thoroughly of that love which thou wouldst
so hardly be persuaded of. He that in love wept
over the old Jerusalem near her ruins ; with what
^ovc will he rejoice over the rew .Teirusalem in her

2o The Saints^ Everlasting ^e^t.

trlory ? Methinks I see him groaning and weeping
r->ver dead Lazarus, till he forced the Je"vvs that stood
by to say, Behold hoiv he loved him. / will he not then
much more by rcjoicinir over us, make all (even the
damned, if they see it) say, bthald how he loveth
th-m !

Here is the heaven of heaven ! the fruition of God :
in these mutable embractmentsof love, doth itconsist.
To love, and be beloved : *' These are the everlasting
arms that are underneath : his left hand is under their
heads, andwith his right hand doth he embrace them."

Stop here and think a while what a state this is. Is
it a small thing to be beloved of God ? to be the son,
the spouse, the love, the- delight of the King of glory ?
Believe this, and think on it : thou shalt be eternally
embraced in the arms of that love, which was from
everlasting and will extend to everlasting ; of that
love, which brought the Son of God's love from hear
vcn to earth, from earth to the cross, from the cross
to the grave, from the grave to glory ; that love,
which was weary, hungry, tempted, scorned, scourg-
ed, bufPetted, spit upon, crucified, pierced ; which did
fast, pray, teach, heal, weep, sweat, bleed, die : that
love will eternally embrace them. When perfect cre-
ated love, and most perfect uncreated love meet to-
gether, O the blessed meeting! It will not be like Jo-
seph and hisbrethren, who lay upon one another*snecks
weeping : it will break forth into pure joy ; not a mix-
ture of joy and sorrow : it will be loving and rejoicing,
not loving and sorrowing: yet will it make Pharaoh's
(Satan's) court to rinp;, with the news that Joseph's
brethren are come ; that the saints are arrived safe at
the bosom of Christ, out of the reach of hell for ever.

And now are we not left in the apostle's admira-
tion ? what shall we say to these things ? Infinite love
n^ust needs be a mystery to a finite capacity. N«

The Saints' Everlasting Rest, %1,

wonder, if an?;el3 desire to pry into the mystery i
and if it be the study of the saints here, '^ to kno>AS
the hcii^'ht and breadth, and len^;th, and depth ftf t]us
love, though it passeth knowledge:" this is the saints^
rest in the fruition of God by love.

Lafitly^ The affection of joy hath not the least r^hui e
in this fruition. The inconceivable complacency
which the blessed feel in their seein;-i;, knowing, lov-
ing, and being beloved of God. The delight of the
senses here, cannot be known by expressions, as they
are felt : how iTiuch less this joy ? This is the ivhitc
stonCf ichich jigjIc knoivcth but he that rcceivcih : and
if there be any joy which the stranger meddleth not
with, then surely this, above all, is it. All Christ's
ways of mercy tend to, and end in the saints' ioy^. —
He wept, sorrowed, suffered; that they might rcjok > :
he sendeth the spirit to be their comforter: he mulii-
plieth promises, he discovers their future happincia^
that their joy might be full; he aboundeth to them in
mercies of all sorts : " he maketh them lie down in
green pastures; and leadeth them by the still waters j
yea, openeth to them the fountain of living waters,
that their joy may be full, that they may thirst no
more, and that it may spring up in them to everlast-
ing life :" he causeth them to suffer, that he may
cause them to rejoice ; and chasteneth them, that he
may give them rest ; and maketh them (as he did
himself) to drink of the brook in the ivaij, that they may
lift ufi the Iicad. Psalm ex. 7. And lest after all tliis
they should neglect their own comforts, he maketh it
their duty, commanding them to rejoice in him akvcaj.
And he never brings them into so low a condition,
wherein he leaves them not more cause of joy than
of sorrow. And hath the Lord such a care for us
here : where, the bridegroom being from us, we
must mourn ? O I what will that joy be, where, the
soul being perfectly prepared for. joy, and joy prer

2S The Saints'^ Everlasting J^cst,

pared by Christ for the soul) it shall be our work,
•ur business eternally to rejoice ?

And it seems the saints' joy shall be greater than
the danineci's torment : for their torment is the tor-
ment of creatures, prejiaredfor ike devil and his an-
gels : but our joy is the joy of our Lord., even our
Lord's own joy shall we enter. And the same glory
ichich the Father giveth him^ doth the son give them^
John xvii. 22. .4r.d to sit donm iiith him in his throne^
fiveti as he imset down in his Fa therms throne, Rev. iii.
21. Thou that noAv spendest thy days in sorrow, who
knowest no garments but sackcloth, no food but the
bread and water of afflictions, what saycst thou to this
j^reat change ? from all sorrow to more than all joy ?
Thou, poor soul, who prayest for joy, compkiinest
for want of joy, then thou shalt liave full joy, as
much as thou canst hold, and more than ever thou
thcughtcst on, or thy heart desired.

And in the mean time walk carefully, watch cen-
stantly, and then let God measure out thy times and.
degrees of joy. It may be he k« eps them till thou
hast more need : thou mayest better lose thy comfort,
than thy safety : as the joy of the hypocrite, so the
fears of the upright, are but for a moment. Wtefiing
may endure for a nighty but joy cometh in the morning.
O blessed morning ! Poor drooping soul, how would
it fill thee with joy now, if a voice from heaven should
^ssure thee of thy part in these joys ! What then will
thy joy be, when thy actual possession shall convince
thee of thy title : when the angels shall bring thee to
Christ, and when Christ shall (as it were) take thee by
the hand, and lead thee intothy purchased possession ?
Wilt thou not" be almost ready to draw back, and to
say, What I, Lord. I, the unworthy neglector of thy
grace ! I, the unworthy disestecmer of thy blood, and
slighter of thy love I Must I have this glory ? Make
me an hired icrvant^ I am no more ivorthy to be called

The Sa'mts* Everlasting Rest, 29

a son : but love will have it so ; therefore thou rnur.t
enter into this joy.

And it is not thy joy only : it is a mutual joy, a%
well as mutual love : is there such joy in heaven at
thy conversion, and will there be none at thy i loriiica-
tion ? Will not the angels welcome thee thither, and
congratulate thy safe arrival ? Yea, it is the joy of
Jesus Christ : for now he hath the end of his labour,
suffering, dying, when we have our joys ; '' when he
is glorified in his saints, and admired in all them that
believe. We are his seed, and the fruit of his soul's
travail, which when he seeth, he will be satibfied :"
he will rejoice over his purchased inlieritance, and
his people shall rejoice in him.

Yea, the Father himself puts on joy too, in our
joy : as we grieve his spirit, and weary him with our
iniquities ; so he is rejoiced in our good. O how quick-
ly here dotli he spy a returning prodiiz;al,even.afarofl 1
Plow doth he run and meet him, fall on his neck, and
kiss him I This is indeed- a happy meetin-^ : but no-
thing to the joy of that last and great meeting.

■ And now look back upon all this r I say to thee as
the angel to John, IV/iat hast thou seen? Or if yet thou
perceive not, draw nearer, come up higher, Come and
see : dost thou fear thou hast been all this while in a
dream ? Why, These are the true sayi?}gs of God. Dost
thou- fear (as the disciples) that thou hast seen but a
ghost instead of Christ ? a shadow instead of tiie rest t
Come near and feel : a shadow contains not those
substantial blessings, nor rests upon such a sure word
of promise, as you have seen these do. Go thy Avay
now, and tell the disciples, and tell the drooping souis
thou meetest with, that thou hast, in this glass, seen
heaven ; that the Lord indeed is risen, -and hath here
t.Ji/:car^d to thee ; and behold he is gone before us intt^

r '^

30 The Saints' Everlasting Rest.

rest : and that he is now preparing a place for them,
and will come again, and take them to himself, that
Vifhere he is, there they niay be also.

But alas ! my fearful heart dares scarce proceed :
Hiethinks 1 hear the xMmighty's voice, saying to me,
as to Elihu, Job xxxviii. 2. JVho is this that darken^
eth counsel by words ivithout kncivledge ?

But pardon, O Lord, tjiy servant's sin : I have
Eot pried into unrevealed things, nor curiously search-
ed into thy counsels ; but indeed I have dishonoured
thy holiness, wronged thine excellency, disgraced
thy saints' glory, by my disproportionate pourtray-
ing : I will bewail from my heart that my apprehen-
sions are so dull, my thoughts so mean, my affec-
tions so stupid, and my expressions so low. But I
have only heard by the hearing of the ear ; O let
thy servant see thee, and possess these joys, and
then 1 shall have more suitable conceivings, and shall
give thee fuller glory. *' I have now uttered that I
tmdtrstood not ; things too wonderful for me, which
I knew not. Yet I believed, and therefore speak.*'
Remember with whom thou hast to do : what canst
thou expect from dust, from corruption, but defile-^,
ment ? Our foul hands will leave, where they touch,
the marks of their uncleanness ; and most on those
thin,'- s that are most pure. ^' I know thou wilt be
sanctified in them that come nii^h thee, and before
all the people thou wilt be glorified ;" and if thy
jealousy excluded from that land of rest, thy ser-
vants Moses and Aaron, because they sanctified thee
not in the midst of Israel ; what then may I ex-
pect r But though the weakness be the fruit of my
own corruption : yet the fire is from thine altar, and
the work of thy commanding. I looked not into
thine ark, nor put forth my hand unto it without
thee. O therefore wash a>v«iy these stains .also in
the blood of the Lamb I

The Saints' Everlastbig Rent* Si

CHAP. IV.

The four great Preparations to oUr Rest,

HAVING thus shewed you a small glimpse of.
that resemblance of the saints' rest which I had seen
in the gospel glass : it follows, that we proceed to
view a little the blessed properties of this rest. And
why doth my trembling heart draw back ? Surely
the Lord is not now so inaccessible, nor the way so
blocked up, as when the law and curse reigned.——
Wherefore, finding the flaming sword removed, I
shall look again into the paradise of our God.

And first, let us consider the great preparations ;
for the porch of this temple is exceedingly gloriou.s.
Let us observe,

t. The most glorious coming of the Son of God.

2. His raising our bodies, and uniting them again
with the soul.

3. His solemn proceedings in their judgment,
■vfhere they shall be justified before all the world.

4. His enthroning them in glory.

L And well may the coming of Christ be reckon-
ed with those ingredients that compound this preci-
ous rest : for to this end it is intended : and to this
end it is of apparent necessity. For his people's sake
he sanctified himself to his office : for their sake he
came into the world, suffered, died, arose, ascended :
and for their sake it is that he will return. To this
end will Christ come again to receiN'e his people to
himself, Th(it where he i«, they may be cleo, Johij

32 The Saints* Everlasting Rest,

xiv. S. He that would come to suffer, will surely-
come to triumph : and he that would come to pur-
chase, will surely come to possess.

But why stayed he not with his people while he was
here ? Why ? must not the comforter be sent ? Was
not the work on earth done ? Must he not receive the
recompense of reward, and enter into his s^lory ?
Alust he not take possession in our behalf ? Must he
not go to prepare a place for us ? Must he not inter-
cede with the Father, and plead his sufferings, and
be filled with the Spirit to send it forth, and receive
authority to subdue his enemies ? Our abode here is
short : if he had stayed on earth, what would it have
been to enjoy him for a few days, and then die ? But
he hath more in heaven to dvr'ell among ; even the
spirits of the just of many i-enerations, there made
perfect. O what a day will that be ! when we who
have been kept prisoners by the grave, shall be fetch-
ed out by the Lord himself ; when Christ shall come
from heaven to plead wuth his enemies, and set his
captives free ? It will not be such a coming as his
first was, in meanness, and poverty, and contempt :
he will not come to be spit upon, and buffetted, and
scorned, and crucified again : he will not come, O
careless world ! to be slii- hted by you any more. And
yet that coming which was in infirmity and reproach
for our sakes, wanted not its glory. If the angels of
heaven must be the messengers of that coming, as be-
ing Tidings of joy to all Jieofile: and the heavenly host
must accompany his nativity, and must praise God
with that solemnity : O with that shoutings will an-
gels and saints at that day proclaim, Glory to Gcx/,
and fieace and good-vjiU towards rtien .'If the stars of
heaven must lead men to come to worship a child in
a manger, how will the glory of his next appearing
constrain all the world to afcknowledge his sovereign-
ty I If when he was in the form of a servf.nt, tljey
€-1 y out, " What manner of man is thisj that bclh wind.

The Saints'' Everlasting I^es^. &o

and sea obey him!" What shall they say when they shall
see him coming in his glory, and the heavens and
earth obey him? ♦'Then shall appear the sign of the Sen
of man in heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the
earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming
in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.'*

This coming of Christ is frequently mentioned in
theprophets, as the great support of his people's spirits
till then. And whenever the apostles would quicken
to duty, or encourage to patient waiting, they usually
do it by mentioning Christ's com.ing. Why then do
we not use more this cardial consideration, whenever
we want support and comfort ? Shall the wicked with
inconceivable horror behold him, and cry out. Yon-
der is he whose blood we neglected, whose grace we
resisted, whose counsels we refused, whose govern-
ment we cast off I And shall not the saints, with in-
conceivable gladness, cry out, Yonder is he whose
blood redeemed us, whose spirit cleansed us ! Yondep
comes he in whom we trusted, and now we see he hath
not deceived our trust: he for whom we long waited,
and now we see we have not waited in vain ! O how
should it then be the character of a christian, " To
wait for the Son of God from heaven, whom he raised
from the dead, even Jesus which delivered us from the
wrath to come !" 1 Thess. i. 10. And with all faith-
ful diligence, to prepare to meet our Lord with joy.
And seeing his coming is of purpose to be gl^rijiedin
his sairitfiy and adtnired in all them that believe ; what
thought should glad our hearts more than the thought
of that day ? A little while indeed we have not seen
him^ but yet a little ivhile and we shall see hitn, for he
hath said, / loill not leave you com^fortias, t-ut v)iU
come unto you. We were comfortless should he not
come. And while we daily gaze and look up to hea-
ven after him, let us remember v/hat the angel said,
" This same Jesus which is taken up from you into hea-
vea, shall come in like manner aa ve have s«en him eo

34 The Saints' EverlG^iivg J^csi,

into heaven." Let every christian that heareth and
readethjsay, Come; and our Lord himself saith, Surchj^
I come quickly^ aincn^ even so come^ Lord Jesu*.

,The second stream thatleadeth to paradise, is that
great work of Jesus Christ, in raising our bodies from
the dust, uniting them again unto the soul. What,
saith the atheist, shall all these scattered bones and
dust become a man ? Thou fool, dost thou dispute
against the power of the Almighty ? Dost thou ob-
ject difficulties to infinite strength ? Thou blind mole I
thou little piece of creeping, breathing clay ! But
come thy way, let me take thee by the hand, and with
reverence (as Elihu) plead for God ; and for that
power whereby I hope to arise. Seest thou this great
massy body of the earth ? upon what foundation doth
it stand ? Seest thou this vast ocean of waters ? what
limits them, and why do they not overflow and drown
the earth ? whence is that constant ebbing and flow-
ing of her tides ? wilt tbou say from the moon, or
other planets? and whence have they that influence ?
Must thou not come to a cause of causes, that can do
all things ? And doth not reason require thee, to con-
ceive of that cause as a perfect intelligence, and vo-
luntary agent, and not such a blind wor.^er and empty
notion as that nothing is, which thou callest nature ?
What thinkest thou ? Is not that power able to ef-
fect thy resurrection, which doth all this ? Is it
not as easy to raise the dead, as to ma'-^e heaven
and earth, and all out of nothing ? But if thou be
unpersuadable, all I say to thee more is as the pro-
phet to the prince of Samaria, 2 Kings vii. 19.
Thou shall see that day loith thine eyes, but little^ to
thy comfort; for that which is the day of relief tQ
the saints, shall be a day of revenge on thee.

Come then, fellow christians, let us commit these
earcases to the dust : that prison shall not long con-
toin them. Let us lie down in peace and take oiiT

The Saints* Everlasting Rent* SS

rest: it will not be an everlastinii; night, or endless
sleep. What if we %o out of the troubles and stirs
of the world, and enter into those chambers of dust,
and the doors be shut upon us, and we hide ourselves,
as it were, for a little moment until the indignaiion be
overfmfft ? Yet, be hold the Lord cometh out of his place
to puriiith the nhab'tants of the earth for the r imqui-
ty : and then the earth shall disclose us, and the dust
shall hide us no niore. As sure as we awake irrthe
morning when we have slept out the night, so sure
sliall we then awake.

Lay down then cheerfully this lump of corruption :
thou shalt undoubtedly receive it again in incorrup-
tion. Lay down freely tiiis terrestrial, th s natural
body : thou shalt receive it again a celestial, a spi-
ritual body. Thoui!;h thou lay it down with great dis-
honour,thou shalt receive it in glory: and though tho\i
art separated from it through weakness, it shail be
raised a^jain in mighty power. When the trumpet
of God shall sound the call. Coine airay, rse ye dead :
who shall then stay behind ? Who can resist the pow-
erful command of our Lord ? when he shall call to
the earth and sea, 0 earth, O sea, g'Ve ufi thy dead :
the first that shall be called are the saints that sleep ;
and then the saints that are alive shall be changed.
For "they which are alive, and remain till the coming
of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a
shout, with the voice of the arch-angei, and with the
trump of God ; and the dead in Christ shall rise first.
Then they which ar^alive and remain, shall be caught
up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord
in the air; and sq shall we ever be with the Lord." Tri-
\imph now, O christian ! in these promises : thou shaH
shortly triumph in their performance : for this is the
day that the Lord will make ; TVe shall be glad and re*
joke therein. The grave that could not keep our Lord,
cannot keep ws : he arose for us, and by the same

S6 The Saints^ Everlasting ^esL

power will cause us to arise. For ifive bdehe that
Jcsics d'td and rose again ; even so them also ivhich
■ilecfi in Jesus^ tv'll God brivg ivith hnn. Therefore
let our hearts be glad, and our glory rejoice, and our
flesh also rest in hope : for he will not leave us in the
grave, nor suffer us still to see corruption. Yea,
'• therefore let us be stcdfast, unmoveable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much a«
We know our labour is not in vain in the Lord."

The third part of this prologue to the saints' rest,
Is the solemn process at their judgment, where they
shall first themselves be justified; and then with Christ
judge the world. All the world must tliere appear,
young and old, of all estates and nations, that ever
were from the creation to that day. The judgment
shall te set, and the books opened, and the book of
life produced: "and the dead shallbejudged out of those
things which were written in the books, according to
their works, and whosoever is not found written in the
book of life, is cast into the lake of fire " O terrible ! O
joyful day ! Terrible to those that have not watched,
but forgot the coming of their Lord ! Joyful to the
saints, v/hose v/aiting and hope was to see this day I
Then shall the worldbehokl the goodness and severity
of the Lord ; on them who perish, severity ; but to
his chosen, goodness. When every one must give ac-
count of his stewardship ; and every talent of time,
health, wit, mercies, afHiction, means, warnings, must
be reckoned for. When the sins of youth, and those
which they had forgotten, and their secret sins shall be
hiid open before angels ?vnd men: when they shall see
all their friends, wealth, old delights, all their confi-
dence and false hopes forsake them. When they shall
see the Lord Jesus wh.omthey neglected, whose word
they disobeyed, whose ministers they abused, whose
servants they hated, now sitting to jud^c them ; when
their own consciences shall cry out against them, and
call lotheirremembrancealltheirraisdoings. Remenv

The Saints^ Evsrlastin^ Rest, Sf

ber, at such a time such or such a sin ; at such a time
Christ sued hard for thy conversion : the minister
pressed it home to thy heart thou wast touched to
the quick with tlie word ; thou didst purpose and
promise returninj^, and yet thou didst cast oft all. —

0 which way will the wretched sinner look ! O who
can conceive the thoui^hts of his heart ! Now the
•world cannot help him ; his old companions cannot
help him : the saints neither can nor will ; only the
Lord Jesus can : but there is the misery, he will
not : nay, without violating the truth of his word,
he cannot : though otherwise, in regard of his ab-
solute power, he might. The time was, sinner,
when Christ would, and you would not ; and nov.'',
fain would you, and he will not. What then re*
mains but to cry to the mountains, Fall on us ; and
the ^lls^ cover us from the ftresence of him that shu
vfmn the, thrvne ! But all in vain ! for thou hast the
Lord of mountains and hills for thine enemy, whose
voice they will obey, and rot thine. Sinner, make
not light of this ; for as thou livest (except a tho-
rough change prevent it) thou shalt shortly, to thy
inconceivable horror, see that day.

Poor careless sinner, I did not think here to have
said so much to thee : but if these lines fall into thy
hands, " I charge thee before God, and the Lord
Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the
dead at his appearing, and his i ingdom ;" that thou
make haE^e and get alone, and set thyself sadly to
ponder these things. Ask thy heart, is this true, or
is it not ? Is there such' a day, and must I see it ?
^Vhat do I then ? Is it not time, full lime, that I had
made sure of Christ and comfort long ago ? Should

1 sit till another day, who have lost so many ?
Friend, I profess to thee fiom the word of the Lord,
that of all thy sv^eet sins, tlere will then be nothing
left, but the sting in tny conscience, which will bs
never out through all eternity.

38 The Saints* Everlasting Rest,

But "vvhy trembkstthoi:, O gracious soul ! He that
would r.ot ovtilcoJCone l.cl in Socom ; iiay,that ceuld
do nothir^ till he v»cnt forth ; ^vill he forget thee tX
that day ? ' Thy Lord krowcth how to deliver the god-
fy out of ten-iptation, and to reserve the unjust to the day
of judp^mtnltobe punished :"heknowethhowloiTiuk€
the same day the greatest terror to his foes, cud yet
the greatest joy to his people. " There is no condem-
nation to them that are in Christ Je«us, who walk not
after the flesh, but after the Spirit. And, who shall lay
any tljing to the charge of (^od's ekct ?'* Shall the
law? Why, "whatsoever the law saith, it saith to
them that are under the law ; but v,e are not under
the law, but undef grace : for the law of the spirit of
life, which is in Christ Jesus, hath made us free from
the law of sin and death.*' Or shall conscience ? We
were long ago "justified by faith, and so haA-e peace
with God, and have our hearts sprinkled from an evil
conscience : and the Spiiit bearing witness with our
spirits, that we are the children of God.*' It i& God
that justifieth, who shall condemn ? If our judre con-
demn us no{, who shall ? He that said to the adulte-
rous woman, " Hath no man condemned thee ? Kei-^
ther do I condemn thee :" Pie will say to us. (more'
faithfully than Peter to him) '* Thoup:h all rnen deny
thee, or condemn thee, I will not. Thou hast confes-
sed me before men, and I will confess thee before
rny Father and the angels in heaven."

What inexpressible joy may this afford a believer ?
Our dear Lord shall be our jud:;e. Will a man fear
to be judged by his dearest friend, by a brother, by
a father or a wife by her own husband: Did he come
down, ani^ sufier and weep, and bleed, and die for
thee : and will he now condemn thee? Was he^judg-
cd and coi;demned, and executed in thy stead and
now ?.^ ill he condemn thee • Kath it cost him so dear
to sa'^e tliL-e and will he now destroy thee Hath he
4wys, the most of the work already, in justifying, pre-

t The Sa'uits* Everlasting Rest* 39

serving;, an:! perfcctinjj th;:^ ? and will he now unda
all ae^ain : O what uti iiiircasouable sin is lunbeiief,
fliaf will ch'Jir^^c our Lord with such absurdities !
Well theii) tellovv-chrislians, let tiie terror ot that day
bj ever so threat, oar Lord can m -an no ill to us
ill all. Let it luake the devils tremble ; and the wick-
ed tremble ; but it shall mike us leap for joy. And
it must needs affect us deeply v/ith the sense of our
mercy and happiness, to behold the contrary condi-
tion of otliers. To see most of the world tremble
with terror, while we trium.ph with joy : to see them
thrust into hell when we are proclaimed heirs of the
kinijdom ; to see our neighbours that lived in the
sam.i towns, came to the same con;^rcgations, dwelt
in the same houses, and were esteemed more honour-
able in t!ie world than oufseivcs now so differenced
from us, and by the Searcher of hearts eternally sepa-
rated. This, with the g-reat ma^^niiicence and dread-
fulness of the day, doth the apostle pathetically ex-
press, in 2 Thiiss. i. 6, 7, 8, ?, 10. *" It is a rii^hteous
thini!^ with God to recompense tribulation to them that
trouble you ; and to you who are troubled, rest with
us ; when the Lord Je^us shall be revealed from hea-
Yen with his mig-hty angels, in flaming fire, taking
vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not
the fpspel of our Lord Jesus Christ ; who shall be
punished v/ith eW^rlastinsj destruction from the pre-
sence of the Lord, aiid from the glory of his pow-
er." And now is not here enough to make that day
a welcome day, and the thought of it delightful to
vs ? But yet there is more. We shall be so far from
the dread of that judgment, that ourselves shall be»
come the judges. Christ will take his people, as it
were into commission with him ; and they shall sit
and approve his righteous judgment.

Do you not know that the aa'Tiis shall judge the
"World ? Mnjy Know you not that tve -shall judge an-
^eh ? Surely, were it not the word of Chrisi. thas-

40 The Saints* Everlasting Rest. •

speaks it,this advancement would seem incredible, ye?
even Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of
this ; saying", "Behold the Lord cometh with ten thou-
sand of his saints, to execute jud.i^ment upon all, and
convince all that are ungodly among them, of their
imgodly deeds, v.diich they have ungodHly committed ;
and of all their hard speeches, which ungodly sinners
have spoken against him." Jude 14, Sec. Thus shall
thte saints be honoured, and the righteous have dctni-
n en '71 the mornivg. O that the careless world were
but ivise to consider this, and that f/tey lucidd rcmcm'
t^er iheir latter end ! That they would be now of
the same mind, as they will be yvhen they shall see
the " heavens pass away with a great noise, and the
elements melt with fervent heat ; the earth also, and
the works that are therein be burnt up I" When all
shall be on lire about their ears, and all earthly jjlory
consumed. For '" the heavens, and the earth which
are now, by the same v/ord are kept in store, reserved
unto fire against the day of judgment, and perdition
of ungodly meix. Seeing then all these things shall
be dissolved, -what manner of persons ought ye to be,
in all holy conversation and godliness : looking for,
and hasting to the comin",- of the day of God : Vr'here-
in the heavens being on fire, shall be dissolved, and
the elements melt with fervent heat."

The fourth antecedent to the saints' advancement
is, their solemn coronation, and receiving into the
kingdom? For as Christ, their head, is anointed both
Uing and priest : so under him arc his people made
unto God both kings and priests : " To reign, and t»
Oifer praises for ever," Rev. v. 10. " The crown of
righteousness, which was laid up for them, shall by
ihe Lord, the righteous judge, be given them at that
vlay," 2 Tim. iv. 8. " ThW have been faithful to
the death, and therefore shall receive the crown of
:'fe :" and according to the improvement of their ta-
lents here, so shall their rule and dignity be enlarg-

The Sa/'nti'' Everlasting Rest, 41

ctl. So that they are not dignified vvith empty titles,
but real dominions. For *' Christ will take tliem and
set them down with hanselfv in his own throne; and
will give them power over '.he nations, even as he
received of his Fafher. And v/ill give them ;he morn-
\\i\^ star." The Lord himself will give them posses-
sion with these applauding expressions: '^ Well done,
goodand faithful servant, thou hasi beenfaithfulovera
few things, I will malfc thee rule^' over many things ;
enter thou hito the joy of thy Ford." And with this
solemn and blessed proclamation shall he enthrone
them ; '' Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the
kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of ihe
world.'* Every word is full of life and joy. [^Cojne.']
This is the holding fortli of the 5"oJ^^'^ sceptre ; to
warrant our approach unto his glory. Come now as
near as you will : fv,'ar not the Bethshemites judgment:
for the eiimity is utterly taken away. This is not such
a Come as we were wont to hear Come take uji your
crossy and follow me : though that was sweet, yet this
is much more so. [Ye blessed] Ijlessed indeed, when
that mouth shall so pronounce us. For though the
world hath accounted us accursed, yet certainly those
that he blesseth are blessed : and those whom he
curseth, only are cursed : and his blessing shall not
be revoked. But he hath blessed us, and we shall be
blessscd. [Of my Father^ Blessed in the Father's love,
as well as the Son's : for they are one : the Father
hath testified his love, in sending Christ and accept-
ing his ransom ; as the Son hath also testified his.
\^l7iherit^ No longer bond-men, nor servants only, nor
children under age. who diner not in possession, but
only in the title from servants ; but now, we are heirs
of the kingdom^ co-heirs ivith Christ. [The kiiigdojn]
No less than the kingdom I Indeed to be king of '^ings;
and Lord of lords, is our Lord's own title : but to be
kings and reign with him, is ours : the fruition of this
kingdom, is as the fruition of the hght of the sun^
^acih halh tiie whole, and the rest never the less.-—
» a

The Saint's Ever last in;r Rest,

\_Prcparedfor yon'] God is the Alpha, as well as the
Omei^a of our blessedness. Eternal love hath laid
the foundation. He prepared tl\e kingdom for us,
and then prepared us for the kingdom. This is the pre-
paration of his counsel : for the execution whereof
Ciirist was yet to make a further preparation. [7'&r
you] Not for believers only in general, but for you in
particular. [Frotn //irfoundaUou of the world] Not on-
ly from the promise after Adaiji's fall, but from eter-
nity.

But a difficulty ariseth in our way. In what sense
is our improvement of our talent, our well-doing-, our
overcominij, our harbouring, visiting, feeding Christ
in his little ones, alledged as a reason of our corona-
tion and glory ? Is it not the purchased possession,
and mere fruit of Christ's blood ? If every man must
bi; judged according to his works, and receive ac-
cording to what he has done in tlie flesh, whether
good or evil ; if God ^y/// reiulcr to every man accord'
ing to h':s deeds, Rom. ii. 6 7. and give eternal life to
ail men, if they patiently continue in well-doinL>- ; if
he will give right to the tree of life, Rev. xxii. 14. and
entrance into the city, to the doers of his command-
ments : and if this last absolving sentence be the com-
pleting of cur justification ; and so f/ie doers of the
law be judt'Jicd^ Rom. ii. 13. then what is become of
free grace i or justification by faith only i of the sole
righteousness of Christ to make us accepted 1 I an-
swer,

1. Let not the names of men draw thee one way
or the other, nor ma/(e thee partial in searching for
the truth: dislike the men for their unsound- doc-
trine ; but call not doctrine unsound, because it is
theirs : nor sound because of the repute of the writer.

2. Know this, that as an unhumbled soul is fav
apter to give too much to duty and personal rights*

Th:; SainU'^ Evcriaitinjr iCc^i. *s^6

d

ousness, tlian t(t Christ; so an humble self-uenyin.ij
christian is as likely to err on the other hand, in giv-
ing less to duty thaii Christ hath i^jiven, and laying all
the work from himself on Christ, for i\.'r.r cf rcbbi'v;
Christ of the honour ; and so much to loo'-.
M'ithout him, and think he should look at r> ^ .\

himself; that he forgets L hrist within him.

3. Our giving to Christ more of the vork than
scripture doth, or rather our ascribing it to him outo^
the scriptiye way, doth but dishonour, and not
honour him ; and depress^ but not exalt his free
grace : while we deny the inward sanctifying work
of his Spirit, and extol his free justification, Avhich
are equal fruits of his merit, we make him an im-
perfect Saviour.

4. But to arrogate to ourselves any part of Christ'«
prerogative, is most desperate of ail, and no doctrine
more directly overthrows the gospel almost, thaa
that of justification by the merits of our own, or by
works of the law.

And thus vre have seen the christian safely landed
in paradise ; and conveyed honourable'' to his rest.
Now let us a little further view those mansions, con-
sider his privileges, and see whether there ])e any
glory like unto this glory.

CHAP. V.

The Excellcnc'it's of our Best*

LET us see more immediately from the pure foun^-
tain of the scriptures, what further excellencies thia
rest afforJeth. And the Lord hide us in the clefts of

44 l-hs Sahits* EvcrU'iim^

she rock) "HcI cover us v/ith the hahds of indulge*!
^race, while we approach to take this view.

Anil first- it is a most singular honour of the saints*
rest,^ bv; caller! \.\\€ fmrcfiafn-d fiossession ; that it is the
fruit of the bloocl of the Son of God ; yea, the chief
fruit : yea, the end and perfection of all the fruits of
»hat blood. Surely love is the most precious ingredi-
ent in the whole coiriposidon ; and of all the flower*
that E^row in the garden of love, can there be brout;ht
one more sweet than tiiis blood Greater love than
Ihis there is not. to lay down the life of the lover.
And to have this our Redeemer ever before our eyes,
and the li vjliest sense and freshest remembrance ofthat
dyini^bleedinLJ^iove still upon our souls ; O how will
it fill our souls v/ith perpetual ravishments, to think
that in ihestreamsoftiiisbiood,we have swum through
the violence of the world, the snares of Satan, the se-
ducements of the flesh, the ctcrse of the law, the wratk
of an offended God, the accusations of a guilty consci-
ence, and the doubts and fears of an unbelieving heart,
and arc passed through all, and arrived safely at the
breast of God I Now we arc stirpiiied with vile and
senseless hearts, that can hear all the story of this love,
and read all the sufferings of love ; and all with dul-
ness, and unaffectedncss. He cries to us, Behold and
ivr,f.5 H notli ng to ijoit^ O all ye that fiass by? Is there any
t^orrryvj like unto my sorrow ? And we will scarce hear
or ref!;ard the voice ; or turn aside to view the wounds
of him who^healed our wounds at so dear a rate.
But oh I then our perfected souls will feel as well as
hear, and with feeling apprehensions flame in love
for love. Now we set his picture wounded and dy-
ing before our eyes, but can get it no nearer our
hearts, than if we believed nothing of what we read.
But then vrhen the obstructions between the eye and
the understanding are taken away, and the passage
opened between the head and heart, surely our eyes
viil cverl^.stingiy aifectovirheartslABd while weriew

The Saints* Everlasting Best, 45

with one eye cAir slain re%*irtd Lord, and -.vith the
other eye our lost recovered souls, these views will
etcrnully pierce us, and warm our very souls. And
those eyes throuf^h which folly hath so often stolen
into our hearts, let in the love of our dearest Lord
for ever.

"We shall then leave these hearts of stone and rock
behind us, and the sin that here so close besets us, and
the sottish unkindness that followed us so lonp;, shall
Hot be able to follow us into glory. But we shall be-
hold, as it were, the wounds of love, with eyes and
hearts of love fcr ever. Now his heart is open to us,
and ours shut to him : but when his heart shall be
open, and our hear:s open, oh, the blessed congress
that will then be I What a passionate meeting is there
between our new-risen Lord, and the first sinful wo-
man that he appears to ! How doth love struggle for
expressions ? and the straitened fire shut up in the
breast, strive to break forth ? Mary 1 saith Christ :
Manter ! saith Mary : and presently she clasps about
his feet, having her heart as near to his heart as her
hands were to his feet. What a nieetin^^ of love then
will there be, between the newly gdoriticd saints, and
the glorious Redeemer ! But I am here at a loss, my
apprehensions fail me, and fall too short. Only this
I know, it will be the sin3:ular praise cf our inheri-
tiincc, that it was bought with the price of that blood ;
and the singular joy of the saints, to behold the pur-
chaser *id the price, together with the possession :
neither will the views of the wounds of love renew
our wounds of sorrow : he whose first words after his
resurrection were to a great sinner, U'or.ian^ tvky
ti'cefitat thou ? knows hov," to raise love and joy by all
those views, without raising any cloud of sorrow. If
a dying friend deliver but a token of his love, liow
G-arefully do we preserve it r and still remember him
when v.'c behold it, as if his own name were written
on it ? And will not then the deuth and blood of our

The Sahit^ Evcrlastlny- Rc^t

Lordeverlusti;»{^Iy sweeten oiirpossessedftlory ? WeH
then, chrisciuns. tis you used to do in your boo'>ts, and
on your i^oods, to write down the price they cost
you : so on your righteousness, <;.''.\d on your glory,
write down the price, T'w. /:rcch::s bl-jod vf Chrfat.

Yet understand tl.j^ .-^..-.j - not that this highest
j^lory v/iis in the strictest sense purchased, so as that
it was the most immediate efiect of Ciinst*6 death ; we
must tiike heed that we conceive not of God as a ty-
rant, wiio so delighteth in cruelty, as to exchange
mercies for stripes. God \yas never so pleased with
the SLiderings of the innocent, mu("ii less of his Son,
as to s;.-ll his mercy properly for their suHerings. But
the sufferin^rs of Christ were primarily and immedi-
ately to satisfy justice, and to bear what v/as due to the
sinner, and so to restore him to the life he lost, and
the happiness h.e fell from : but this dignity, which
surp^isseth tlie first, is as^it were, from the redundancy
©f his merit, or a secondary fruit of his death. The
WorK of his redemption so well pleased the Father,
that he gave him power to advance his chosen to a
hiffher dignity than they fell from ; and to pjive them
the gi'jry which was given to himself; and all this
according to the good pleasure of his own v/ill.

2. The second /i(?^r//?z ths saint' 3 d'adcmy is, that it
is free. Tiiis seemeth as Pharaolia stcond kme^ to do
vour thi; for^ni-r. But the seeming discord, is hut a
pleasing diversity which constitutes the melocU'. These
two attributes purchased and free, are the two chains
cf gold, wliich make up the v/reath for the heads of
the pi!iars in the temple of God. It was dear to
Christ, but free to us. When Christ was to buy, sil-
ver and gold were nothing worth ; prayers and tears
could not suffice ; nor any tiling below his blood ;
but when we come to buy, our buying is but receiv-
ing : we have it freely, wtHmit moncu and nvfthoui
j^riee. Nor do the jjospel-conditions mak» it the lo6«

The Saints^ Everlasting Rest. 4/

free ; if the i^ospel-conditions had been such as are
the laws, or payment of the debt required at our
hands ; the frceness, then were more questionable.
Yea, if God had said to us, ** Sinner, if you v/ill satisfy
my justice for oneof your sins, I will forgive you all the
rest,'* it would I^ive been a hard condition on our part,
and the i^race of the covenant not so free, as our dis-
ability doth require. But if all the condition ht our
cordial acceptation, surely we deserve not the name
of purchasers. Thankfully accepting of a free acquit-
tance, is no paying of the debt. If life be offered to
a condemned man, upon condition that he shall not
refuse the offer, the favour is nevertheless free. Nay,
thout^h the condition were, that he should beg', and
wait before he have liis pardon, and take him for his
Lord who hath thus redeemed him, tins is not satis-
fying the justice of the law r especially when the con-
«lition is also given by God ; surely then here is all
free : if the Fatlier freely give the Son, and the Son
freely pay the debt ; and if God freely accept that
way of payment, when lie might have required it of
the principal ; and if both Father and Son freely olTer
us the purchased life upon tliose fair conditions ; and if
they also freely send the spirit to enable us to perfomi
tliose conditions, then v.hat is here, that is not free i
O the everlasting admiration tliat must needs surprise
f^thc saints to think of this frecness ! What did the
. Lord see in me, that he should judge me meet for
such a state r that I who was but a poor, despised
wret^ch, should be clad in the brightness of this glory ?
that I, a silly, creeping; worm, should be advanced ta
this hig-h dignity ; lie that durst not lift up his eyes
to heaven, but stood afar oiT smiling his breast, and
crying, L ord, be merciful to 7r.e a dnncr I now to be
lifted up to heaven himself! He who was wont t»
write his name in Bradford's style, the untlia7ik/ul^ the
hard-h(^art<'d^ the n7iiiorthy smjicr ! and was wont to
admire that patience couid bear so long, and justice
suffer him to iive : sure he will admire at this altera-

4^S The Saint a'' Everlasiiiig /{est,

tion, when he shall find by experience, that un worthi-
ness could not hinder his siilvation, which he thought
would have bereaved him of every mercy. Ah !
christian, there is no talk of our worthiness or un-
worthiness. If worthiness were our condition for ad-
mittance, ^^ e mi^ht sit down with St. John, and weep,
*• Because none in heaven or on earth is found worthy.
But the iion of the tribe of Judah is vrorthy, and hath
prevailed ; and by that title must \ac hold the inheri-
tance." We shall offer there the offering that David re-
fused, even fira'sefir that v:h vh coat tis 7wt/il7ig. Here
our commission runs, freely ye have received^ freely
^he. But Christ hath dearly received, yet freely gives.
Yet this is not ail. If it were only for nothing, and with-
out our merit, the Avonder were great : but it is more-
over against our merit, and against our long endea-
vouring our own ruin. The hi ojccn heart that hath
fcnown the desert of sin, doth both understand and feel
what I say. What an astonishing thought it will be,
to think of the unmea'surable difference" between our
■deservings, and our receivings ! between the state we
should have been in, and the state we are in ! to look
down upon hell, and see the vast difference that free
grace hath made betwixt us and them \ to see the in-
heritance there, which we were born to, so different
from that wliich we are adopted to I Oh ! what pangs
of love will it cause witliin us, to think, yonder was
the place that sin would have brough.t me to : but this
is it that Christ hath brought me to I Yonder death
was the wages of my sin ; but this eternal life is the
gft of God^ through Jt sus ChrTst 7»y Lord. Doubt-
less this will be our everlasting admiration, that so
rich a crown should fit the head of so vile a sinner I
that such high advancement, and such long un-
fruitfulness and unkindness can be the state of the
same persons I and that such ^le rebellions can con-
elude in such most precious joys ! But no thanks to
us ; nor to any of our duties and labours, much less
to our neglects and laziness j we know to whom the

The Sahits* Everlasting Rest. 49

praise is due, and must be given for ever. And in-
deed to this very end it was, that infinite wisdom did
cast the whole design of man's salvition into the niould
of PURCHASE and FIIEENESS, that the love
and joy of man might be perfected, and the honour
of grace most highly advanced : that the thought of
merit might neither cloud the one, nor cb^.tiuct the
other ; and that on these two hinges the p;atcs of hea-
ven might turn. So then let tl^ESElA'EP] be
written on the door of hell, i)ut on the door of hea-
ven and life, [THE FREE OlFT.]

A third comfortable adjunct of this rest is, that it
is the fellowship of the blessed saints and angels of
God. Not so singular will the christian he, as to be
solitary. Though it be proper to the saints only, yet
is it common to all the saints. For what is it, but
an association of blessed spirits in God ? A corpora-
tion of perfected saints, whereof Christ is the head ?
The communion of saints compleated ? For those that
have prayed and fasted, and wept, and watched, and
waited together ; now to enjoy, and praise together,
methinks should much advance their pleasure. He
who mentioneth the qualifications of our happiness,
of purpose that our joy may be full, and maketh so
oft mention of our conjunction, in his praises, sure
dolh hereby intimate to us, that this \s\\\ be some ad-
\antage to our joys. Certain I am of this, fellow-
christians, that as we have been together in labour,
duty, danger and distress, so shall we be in the great
recompense ; and as we have been scorned and despi-
sed, so shall we be crowned and honoured together :
and we who have gone through the day of sadness,
shall enjoy together that day of gladness. And those
who have been with us in persecution and prison, shall
be with us also in that place of consolation. When I
look in the faces of the people of God, and believ-
ingly think of this day, what a refreshing thought is

50 The Saints* Everlasting Rest.

it \ Shall we not there remember our fellowship m
duty and in sufTcrings ? How oft our groans made
as it were one sound, our tears but one stream, and
our desires but one prayer ? And now all our praises
shall make up one melody : and all our churches one
church ; and all ourselves but one body : for we shall
be one in Christ, even as he and the Father are one.
It is true, we must be very careful that we look not
for that in the saints, which is alone in Christ, and
that we give them not his preroi^ative ; nor expect
too great a part of our comfort in the fniition of them :
we are prone enough to this kind of idolatry. But
yet he who commands us so to love them now, will
giv^e us leave in the same subordination to himself to
love them then, when himself hath made them much
more lovely. And if we may love themi, we shall
surely rejoice in them ; for love cannot stand without
an answerable joy. If the forethought of sitting down
with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in
the kingdom of God, may be our lawful joy ; then
how much more that real sight, and actual possession!
It cannot choose but be comfortable to me to think
of that day, when I shall join with Moses in his song^-
with David in his psalms of praise, and with all the
redeemed in the sotig of the Lamb for ever. When we
shall see Enoch walking with God ; Noah enjoying
the end of his singularity ; Joseph of his integrity ;
Job of his patience ; Hezekiah of his uprightness ; and
all the saints, the end of their faith. O happy day,
when I shall depart out of this crowd and sink, and go
to that same council of souls! I know that Christ is
All in All, and that it is the presence of God that
maketh heaven to be heaven. But yet it much sweet-
encth the thoughts of that place to me, to remember
that there are such a multitude of my most dear and
precious friends in Christ : ivith tvJiom I took snveet
counsel^ and tv'.th whom I ivent u/i to the house of Godj
who 'u.'alktd nv'th me in the fear of God, and integrity
ef their hearts : In the face of whose conversation

The Saints'' Everlasting Rest. $i

there Tras written the name of Christ : whose sensible
mention of his excellencies hath made my heart to
burn within me. To think such a friend that died
at such a time, and such a one at anotl.er time, and
that all these are entered into rest ; and we shall sure-
ly go to them. It is a question with some, Whether
we shall know each other in heaven or no ? Surely,
there shall no knowledj:re cease which now wc have ;
but only that which implieth our imperfection. And
what imperfection can this imply ? Kay, our present
knowledge shall be increased beyond belief : it shall
indeed bcdoneav/ay,but as the light of the stars is done
away by the rising of the sun ; which is more proper-
ly doing away our ignorance than our knowledge ;
indeed we shall not know each other after the flesh ;
but by the image of Christ, and spiritual relation,
and former faithfuhiess in improving- our talents, be-
yond doubt, we shall know and be known. Nor is
it only our old acquaintance, but all the saints of all
ages, whose faces in the flesh we never saw, whom
we shall there both know and comfortably enjoy.
Yea, and angels as well as saints will be our blessed
acquaintance. Those who now are willingly mini-
sterial spirits for our good, will willingly then be our
companions in joy for the perfecting of our good : and
they who had such joy in heaven for our conversion,
■will gladly rejoice with us in our glorification. I
think, christian, this will be a more honourable assem-
bly than ever you have beheld ; and a more happy
society than ever you were of before. Then we shall
truly say as David, " I am a companion of all them that
fear thee : when we are come to mount Sion, and to the
city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to
an innumerable company of angels; to the general as-
sembly, and church of the first born, which are writ-
ten in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the
spirit^ of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the
mediator of the new covenant." So then I conclude ;
This is one singular excellency of the rest of heaven.

52 The Saints^ Ever las ing Rest*

■■ That we are fellow-citizens with the saints, and of
the household of God."

4. Another excellent property of our rest will be,
that the joys of it are immediately from God. We
■shall see God face to face ; ami stand continually in his
presence ; and consecfuently derive our life and com-
fort immediately from him. Whether God will
make use of any creatures for our service then ; or if
any, of what creatures, and what use ; is more than
I yet know : but it is certain, that at least, our great-
est joys v.ill be immediate^ if not all. Now we have
nothing at all immediately, but at the second or third
hand, or how many who knows ? From the earth,
from man, from the sun and moon, from the influ-
ence of the planets, from the ministration of angels,
jmdfi'om the Spirit of Christ ; and doubtless, the fur-
ther the stream runs from the fountain, the more im-
pure it is. It gathers some defilement from every un-
tlean channel it passeth through. Though it savours
not in the hand of an,';els, of tlie imperfection of sin-
ners, yet it doth of the imperfection of creatures ; and
as it comes from man, it savours of both. How
quick and piercing is the word in itself ! Yet many
times it never enters, being managed by a feeble arm.
O what weight and worth is there in every passage of
the blessed gospel I enough, one would think, to en-
ter and force the dullest soul, and wholly possess its
thoughts and affections : and yet how oft doth it drop
as v/ater upon a stone ? The things of God which we
handle, are divine ; but our manner of handling is
human : and there is little or none that ever we touch,
but we leave the print of our fingers behind us ; but
if God should speak this word himself, it would be a
piercing melting word indeed.

If an angel from heaven should preach the gospel,
yet could he not deliver it according to its glory ;
much less we who never saw what they have seen, and

The Saints^ Everlasting Rest. 53

keep this treasure in earthen vessels. The comforts
that flow throug;h sermons, sacraments, reading, con-
ference, and creatures, are but half comforts : in com.-
paribon of those which the Almighty shall speak with
his own mouth, and reach forth with his own hand.
The Christian knows by experience now, that his most
immediate joys are his sweetest joys ; which have least
of man, and are most directly from the Spirit. That
is one reason, I conceive, why christians who are
much in secret prayer and meditation, are men of
greatest life ; because they are nearer the well-head,
and have all more immediately from God himself. —
And that I conceive the or.ly reason, why we are more
indisposed to those secret duties, and can easier bring
our hearts to hear and read, than to secret prayer,
self-examination and meditation ; because in the for-
mer is more of man, and in these we approach the
Lord alone, and our natures draw br.ck from the
miost spiritual duties. Not that we should therefore
cast off the other, and neglect any ordinance of God :
to live above them while v/e use them, is the way of
a Christian. But to live above ordinances, so as to live
without them, is to live without the L';overnment of
Christ. It is then we shall have li;ht without a can--
dle ; and a perpetual day without the sun : " For the
city hath no need of the sun neither of the moon to
shine in it ; for the glory of God doth lighten it, and
the Lamb is the light thereof/* Rev. xxi. 23. Nay,
" Tiiere shall be no light there, and they need no candle,
nor li.ht of the sun, for the Lord God giveth them
light, and they shall reign for ever and ever.** We shall
then have rest, without sleep, and be kept from cold
without our cloathing, and need no fig-leaves to hide
our shame : for God will be our rest, and Christ our
cloathing, and shame and sin will cease together. —
We shall then have health without physic, and strength
•without the use of food ; for the Lord God will be
our strength, and the light of his countenance will be
kealth to our souls, and marrow to our boDcs.- We
e2

54 The Saints* Everlasting Rest.

shall then (and never till then) have enlightened under-
standings without scripture, and be govemed with-
out a written law. For the Lord Mill perfect his
law in our hearts, and we shall be all perfectly taught
of God : his own will shall be our law, and his own
face shall be our light for ever. We shall then have
communion without sacraments, when Christ shall
drink with us of the fruit of the vine new, that is, re-
fresh us with the comforting wine of immediate fruir
tion in the kingdom of his Father.

5. A further excellency of this rest is this ; it will
be a suitable rest : suited, 1. To our natures. 2. To
our desires. 3. To our necessities.

1. To our natures. If suitcibleness concur not with
excellency, the best things may be bad to us; for it
is not that which makes things good in themselves,
to be good to us. In our choice of friends, we oft
pass by the more excellent, to choose the more suita-?
ble : every good agrees not with every nature. The
choicest dainties which we feed upon ourselves, would
be to our beasts, as an unpleasing, so an insufficient
sustenance,

Now here is suitableness and excellency conjoined.
The new nature of the saints doth suit their spirits to
Ihls rest : and indeed their holiness is nothing else but
a spark taken from this element, and by the spirit of
Christ kindled in their hearts, the fiame whereof, as
mindful of its divine original, doth ever mount aloft,
and tend to the place from whence it comes. Gold and
earthly glory, temporal crowns and kingdoms, could
not make a rest for saints. As they were not redeem^
ed with so low a price, so neither are they endued
•with so low a nature. As God will have from them
a spiritual worship, suitable to his own spiritual bet-
ing : so will he provide them a spiritual rest, suitable
to his people's spiritual nature.

The Sal Hi a"* Everlasting Rest. 53

A heaven of ihe knowledge of God, and his Christ ;
and a delightful complacency in that mutual love, and
everlasting rejoicing in the fruition of our God, a
perpetual sininng of his high praises : this is a heaven
for a saint : a spiritual rest, suitable to a spiritual na-
ture. Then we sliall live in our element. We are
now as the fish in some small vessel of water, that
hath only so much ?is will Keep him alive : but what
is that to the full ocean ? We have a little air let into
us to afford us breathing : but what is that to the
sweet and fresh giilcs upon mount Sion ? We have a
beam of the sun to lighten our darkness, and a warm
ray to keep us from freezing : but then mc sjiall live
in its light, and be revived by its heat for ever>

2. It is suitable to the desires of the saints : for
such as is their nature, such are their desires ; and
such as their desires, such will be their rest. Indeed
we have now a mixed nature ; and from contrary prin-
ciples, arise contrary desires. But it is the desires of
our renewed nature, which this rest is suited to. —
Whilst our desires remain corrupt and misguided, it is
a far greater mercy to deny, yea, to destroy them,
than to satisfy them : but those which are spiritual,
are of his own planting, and he will surely water
them, and give the increase. He quickened our hun-,
ger and thirst for rigliteousness, that he might mak^
us happy in a full satisfaction.

Christian, this is a rest after thy own heart : it con- ,
taineth all that thy heart can wish, that which thou
longest for, prayest for, labourest for, there thou shalt
find it all. Thou hadst rather have God in Christ,
than all the world : why there thou shalt have him.
Desire what thou canst, and ask what thou wilt, as a
christian, and it shall be given thee : not only to half
of the kingdom, but to the enjoyment of both king-
dom and king. This is a life of desire and prayer ;
hut that is a life of satisfaction and enjoyment.

56 The Saints'* Everlasting Rest,

3. This rest is suitable to the saints' necessities
also, as well as to their natures and desires. It con-
tains whatsoever they truly wanted ; not supplying
them with gross created comforts, which, like Saul's
armour on David, are more burden that benefit : but
they shall tliere have the benefit without the bmxlen :
and the pure spirits extracted (as it were) shall make
up their cordial, without the mixture of any drossy
or earthly substance. It was Christ and perfect holi-
ness, which they most needed, and with these shall
they be supplied.

4. Another excellency of our rest will be this, that
it will be absolutely perfect and complete ; and this
both in the sincerity and universality of it. We shall
then have joy without sorrow, and rest without wea-
riness : as there is no mixture of our corruption with
our graces, so no mixture of sufferings with our so-
lace : there is none of these waves in that har])our,
which now toss us up and down. To-day we are
well, to-morrow sick : to-day in esteem, to-morrow
in disgrace : to-day we have friends, to-morrow none :
nay, we have wine and vinegar in the same cup. If
revelation should raise us up to the third heaven, the
messenger of Satan must presently buffet us : but there
is none of this inconstancy in heaven. If perfect love
cast out fear ; then perfect joy must needs cast out sor-
row, and perfect happiness exclude all the relicks of
misery. There will be an universal perfecting of all
our parts and powers, and an universal removal of all
our evils. And though the positive part be thei sweet-
est, and that which draws the other after it,, even as
the rising of the sun excludes the darkness, yet is not
the negative part to be slighted, even our freedom
from so many and great calamities. Let us therefore
look over these more punctually, and see what it is we
shall there rest from. In general it is from all evil.
Particularly First, from sin, Secondli/, suffering.

The Saints^ Everlasiin^r Res:, 5./

Firsts It excluckth nothing more directly than sin :
whether original, and of nature ; or actual, and of
conversation ; for there entcreth nothing that cufdetk^
nor that nvorkcth abomination^ nor that makeih a lie.
What need Christ have died, if heaven could have
contained imperfect souls ? For to this end ca?7ie he into
the nvorld, that he might put away the works of the de-
vil. His blood and spirit have not done all this, to
leave us after all, defiled. For what communion hath
Ught with darkness ? And what fellowship hath Christ
with Belial ? He that hath prepared for sin the tor-
ments of hell, will never admit it into the blessedness
of heaven. Therefore, christian, never fear this : if
thou be once in heaven, thou shalt sin no mo: e. Is
not this glad news to thee, who hast prayed, and
watched, and laboured against it so long I I know,
if it were offered to thy choice, thou wouldst rather
choose to be freed from sin, than to be made heir of
the world. Thou shalt have thy desire : that hard
heart, those vile thoughts, which thou couldst no more
leave behind thee, than leave thyself behind thee, shall
be now left behind for ever. If they accompany thee
to death they cannot proceed a step further. Thy
understanding shall never more be troubled with dark-
ness : ignorance and error are inconsistent with this
light. Now thou walkest like a man in the twilight,
ever afraid of being out of the \vay : but then will
all darkness be dispelled, and our blind understand-
ings fully opened.

O what would we give to know clearly all the pro-
found mysteries in the doctrine of redemption, of jus-
tification, of the nature of grace, of t!ie divine at-
tributes ! What would we give to see all dark scrip-
tures made plain ; to see all seeming contradictions
reconciled I Why, when glory hath taken away the
veil from our eyes, all this will be known in a mo-
ment ; we shall then see clearly into all the contro-
versies about doctrine or discipline that now perplex

58 The Saints* Ever lasting Rest,

tis. The poorest christian is presently there a moi-e
perfect divine, than any is here. We are now through
our ignorance, subject to such mutability, that in
points not fundamental, we change as the moon : but
when once our ignorance is perfectly healed, then shall
we be settled, resolved men ; then shall our reproach
be taken from us, and we shall never chani;e our
judgment more. Our ignorance now doth lead us
into error, to the grief of our more knowinr brethren,
to the disturbing the church's quiet, to the scanda-
lizing of others, and wear ening ourselves. How ma-
ny a faithful soul is seduced into error ! Loth they
are to err, God kno^^'s : and therefore read and pray,
and yet err still. And in lesser and more difficult
points, how can it be otherwise !

Can it be expected, that men void of lemming and
strength of parts, unstudied and untau ht, should at
the first onset know those truths, which they are al-
most incapable of knowing at all ? When the great-
est divines of clearest judgment acknowledge so much
difficulty, that they could almost find in their hearts,
sometimes to profess them quite beyond their reach.
But O that happy approaching day, when error shall
vanish aw^ay for ever, when our understanding shall
be filled with God himself, whose light will leave no
darkness in us ! His face shall be the scripture, where
we shall read the truth ; and himself instead of teach-
ers and counsellors, to perfect our understanding s,
and acquaint us with himself. No more error, no
more scandal to others, no more disquiet to our own
spirits, no more mistaken zeal for falsehood. Many
a good man hath here in his mistaken zeal, been a
means to deceive and pervert his brethren ; and when
he sees his own error' cannot again tell how to unde-
ceive them : but there we shall all conspire in one
truth, as being one in him who is the truth.

The Saints^ Zverlastmg l^est. 59

And as we shall rest from all the sin of our under-
standinvj^s, so of our wills, cifiections and conversation.
We shall no more retain this rebelling principle, which
is still withdraAving us froin Ood. We shall no-more
be oppressed with the power of our corruptions, nor
vexed with their presence ; no pride, passion, sloth-
fulness, senselesssitiss sh?ll enter with us ; no strange-
ness to God, and things of Oocl ; no coldness of
affections, nor imperfections in our love ; no uneven
walking, nor grieving of tl)e Spirit ; no scandalous
action, or unholy conversation ; we shall rest from all
these for ever. Then shall our understandings receive
their light from the face of God, as the full moon
from the open sun : then shall our wills correspond to
the divine will- as face anawers face in the gla>>s : and
his will shall be our law and rule, from which we
shall never swerve again. I conclude therefore with
the words next my text, He that is entered into hi^
rent if hath ceased from his own works, as God from hie.
So that there is a perfect rest from sin.

Secondli/i, It is a perfect rest from suffering. When
the cause is g-one, the effect ceaseth. Our sufferings
were but the consequents of our sinning, and here
they both shall cease together.

1. We shall rest from all the temptations of Satan.
What a grief is it to a christian, though he yield not
to the temptation, yet to be still solicited to deny his
Lord ? That such a thought should be cast into his
heart ? That he can set about nothing that is ^ood,
but Satan is still dissuading him from it, distracting
him in it> or discouraging him after it ? What a tor-
ment, as well as a temptation is it, to have such
horrid motions made to his soul ? Sometimes cruel
thoughts of God ; sometime undervaluing thoughts
of Christ; sometime unbelieving thoughts of scripture;
sometime injurious thoughts of Providence : to be
^mpted sometime to turn to present things ; some-

60 The Sahits* Everlasting Rest,

time to play with the baits of sin ; sometime to ven-
ture on the delij^lUs of the flesh ; and sometime f
Atheism itself i» Especially when we know the treach-
ery of our own hearts, tlrat they are as tinder, ready to
take fire us soon as one of these sparks shall fall upon
them : but when the day of our deliverance comes,
we shall fully rest from these temptations : Satan is
then bound up, the time of tempting is done : the
time of torment to himself, and his conquered cap-
tives, is then come ; and the victorious samts shall
have triumph from temptation. Now we walk among
his snares, and are in danger to be circumvented with
his wiles : but then we are quite above his snares.—*
He hath power here to tempt us in the wilderness- but
he entereth not the holy city : he may set us on the
pinnacle of the temple in the earthly Jerusalem, but
the new Jerusalem he may not approach. Perhaps he
may bring us to an exceeding hi^h mountain : but
the mount Sion, and city of the living God, he can-
not" ascend. Or if he shoidd, yet all the kingdoms of
the world, and the glory of them, would be but a
poor bait to the soul which is possessed of the king-
dom of our Lord.

2. We shall rest from all our temptations which we
now undergo from the world and the flesh, as well as
Satan : and that is a number inexpressible. O the
hourly dangers that we here walk in ! Every sense is
a snare ; every member a snare ; every creature a
snare ; every mercy a snare ; and every duty a snare
to us. We can scarce open our eyes but we are in
danger : if we behold them above iis, we aie in dan-
ger of envy : if we see sumptuous buildings, pleasant
habitations, honour and riclies, v/c are in danger to
be drawn away with covetous desires : if the rags and
beggary of others, we are in danger of self-applaud-
ing thoughts or unmercifulncss : if we see beauty, it
is a bait to lust ; if deformity, to loathing and dis-
dain. Vv'e can scarcely hear a word spoken, but con-

The Saints'* Everlasting Rest, 61

tains to us matter of temptation. How soon do slan-
derous reports, vain jests, or wanton speeches creep
into the heart ? how strong and prevalent a tempta-
tion is our appetite A'.d how constant and strong a
"Watch dotii it require : Have we comeliness and beau-
ty ? what fuel for pride I Are we deformed ? what an
occasion of repining* I Have we stren£;th of reason and
learning . O hoAV hard is it not to be puffed up I to
hunt after applause r to despise our brethren ' Are we
unlearned, of shallow heads, and slender parts ^ How-
apt then to despise what we ha\ e not ? And to under-
value that which we do not know And to err with
confidence, because of our ignorance ' And if con-
ceitedness and pride do but strike in, to become a
zealous enemy to truth, and a leading troubler of the
church's peace, under pretences of truth? Arc we men
of eminency and authority How strong is our temp-
tation to slight our brethren^ to abuse our trust ? to
seek ourselves : to stand upon our lionour and privi-
leges ? to forget ourselves, our poor brethren, and the
public good ? how hard to devote our power to hia
glory, fi'om whom we have received it ? how prone
to make our wills our law ? Are we inferiors ? how
prone to grudge at others' pre-eminence? and to bring
their actions to the bar of our judgment ? Are we
rich, and not too much exalted' are we poor and
not discontented ' Do we Get upon duties ? They are
snares too : either we are stupid and lazy, or rest in
them, and turn from Christ. In a word, not one
word tliat falls from the mo-Jth of a minister or chris-
tian, but is a snare ; nor a place we come into; not a
word that our tongues speak not any mercy we pos-
sess, nor a bit we put in our moutlis, but they are
snares ; not that God hath made them so, but through
our own corruption, they become so to us. So that
what a sad case are we in ? especially they that dis-
cern them not ? For it is almost mi possible they should
escape them. It w^s not for nothing that our Lord

62 The Saints^ Everlasting Rest,

cried out, What I say to cne, I say to all, iirJch. Wc
are like the lepers at Saniaria, J/ ive go into the city^
there is not fang but famine ; if ive sit sfill, ive perish.

But forever blessed be omnipotent love, Mhich saves
\is out of all these, and makes o\ir straits but the ad-
vantages of the glory of his giace ^ And blessed be the
J^ordy t'.-ho hath not given our souls for a firty : our soul
is cscafied as a bird out of the snare of thefoivler ; the
snare is broken^ and ii'e are eficafied. Now, our houses,
our clothes, our sleep, our food, our physic, our fa-
ther, mother, wife, children, friends, goods, lands, are
all so many temptations ; and ourselves the greatest
snare to ourselves : but in heaven the danger and trou-

I ble is over : there is nothing but what will advance
our joy. Now every companion is beckoning us to
sin, and we can scarce tell how to say to them, nay :
but our rest will free us from all these. As Satan
hp.th no entrance tlierc, so neither any thing; to serve
his malice : but all things there with us comprise the

j praises of our great deliverer.

3. And as we rest from temptations, so also from
all abuses and persecutions which we suffer at the
hands of wicked men. We shall be scorned, derided,
imprisoned, banished by them no more ; the prayers
of the souls under the altar, will then be answered, and
God ivill avenge their blood on tho e that dwell on the
earth. This is the time for crowning with thorns,
buffetting, spitting on : that is the time for crowning
with glory. Now the law is decreed on. That who-
koever ivill Jive godly in Christ Jesus^ shall suffer perse-
cutions : then they that sneered ivith hrw, shall be glc-
rif^rd ivzth Imn. Now we must be hated of all men for
Christ^ name^s sa/ce : then ivill Christ be admired in his
saints that were thus hated. We are here as the
scorn and oH-scourhig of all things ; as men set
up for a gazing-stock to angels ^nd men, even for
siQ;ns and wonders amongst professing christians ; they

The Saints' Ever terming Rest, 63

put us out of the! I' synat^ogucs, and cast out our name
as evil, and separate us from their company : but we
shall then be as much gazed at for our glory, and they
will be shut out of the church of the saints, and sepa-
rated from us whether they will or no. They now
tliinkit slrange that we rim not loith them to all excess
of riot : they will then think more strange that they
ran not with us in the despised ways of God. We
can now scarce pray in our families, or sing praise to
God, but our voice is a vexation to them : how must
it torment them then, to see us praisii"^ and rejoicing,
hilc they are howling and lamenting ?

Brethren, you that now can attempt no work of
God without resistance, and find you must either lose
the love of the world, and your outward comforts, or
else the love _of God, and your eternal salvation :
consider you shall in heaven have no discouraging*
company, nor any but those "who will further your
work, and gladly join heart and voice with you in your
everlasting joy and praise. Till then,//GS6r.55 your ,wuls
in patience ; bind all reproaches as a crown to your
heads : esteem them greater riches than the world's
treasure : account it matter of joy irhefi ye fall into tri'
hulation. You have seen that our God is able to deli-
ver us ; but this is nothing to our final deliverance ;
he vjill recomftense tribulation to them that trouble you i
and to you that are troubled^ rest with Christ.

4. We shall then also rest from all our sad divisions
and unchristian quarrels with one another. As he
said, who saw the carcases lie together, as if they had
embraced each other, who had been slain by each
other in a duel : " How lovingly do they embrace
" one another, who perished through their mutual
" enmity;" So, how lovingly do thousands live toge-
ther in heaven, who lived in divisions on earth ! As
he said, who heheld how quietly and peaceably the
bones and dust of mortal enemies did lie together,

64 The Saints* Everlasting Rest,

" yw did not live together so peaceably.'* So wc
iray say of multitudes in beaveii ifow all ot one rriind,
one heart, and one employ n.ent. you lived not on
earlh in so sweet familiynty. There, is no contention,
because none of thio pride, ig^norancc, or other cor-
ruptioki' Paul and Bnrfiubas arc now fully reconciled.
There, they are not every inun conceived of his own
urderstandinp^, and in love with the issue of his own
brain ; but ail admiring the divine perfecti(,n, and in
love with God and one another. As old CJryneus
■wrote to his friend, " If I see you no more on earth,
yet we shall there meet, where Luther and S^uinglius
are now w^ell agreed." There is no recordinti: our
bethren's infirmities ; nor raking into the sores which
Christ died to hea,l. There is no plotting to strengthen
our party ; nor deep designing against our brethren.

And is it not a shame and pity that our course is
novr so contrary ? Surely, if there be sorrow or shame
in heaven, we shall then be both sorry and ashamed to
look one another in the face : and to remember all
this carriage on earth, even as the brethren of Joseph
were to behold him, when they remembered their
former unkind usage. Is it not enough that all the
world is against us, but we must also be against our-
selves ? Did I ever think to have heard christians so
to reproach and scorn christians ? And men professing
the fear of God, to ma .e so little conscience of cen-
suring, vilifying, and disgracing one another ? O
what hellish things are ignorance and pride, that can
bring men's souls to such a case as this I Paul knew
what he said, when he commanded, that a no-vice
should not be a teacher^ lest being lifted up he fall into
the condemnation of the devil, 1 Tim. iii. 6. He dis-
cerned that such young christians that have got but a
little smatterinc^ jcnowledge in religion, lie in great-
est danger of this pride and condemnation. Who but
Paul could have foreseen that among the very teachers
and governors of so choice a church as Ephesus, there

The Saints' Everlasting Re^ft. 66

were some that afterv/ards should be notorious sect^
masters ? That of their orjn selves men should arisc^
speaking /lerversp things^ to draw aicay disciples after
them^ Acts xx. 30.- Who then can expect better
from any society now, how knowing and holy soever ?
To-day they may be unanimous, and joined in love ;
and perhaps within a fev/ weeks be divided, and at
bitter enmity, through their doating on questions that
tend not. to edify.

5. We shall then rest from all which we now un-
dergo, by participating M'ith our brethren in their
calamities. Alas, if we had nothing upon ourselves
to trouble us, yet what heart could lay aside sorrows,
that lives in the sound of the church's sufferings ? If
Job had nothing upon his body to disquiet him, yet
the message of his children's overthrow must needs
grieve the most patient soul. Except we are turned
into steel or stone, and have lost both christian and
human affection, there needs no more than the mise»
ries of our brethren to fill our hearts with sorrows.
The church on earth is a mere hospital ; which way
soever we go, we hear complaining ; and into what
corner soever we cast our eyes^ we behold objects of
pity : some groaning under a dark understanding,
some under a senseless heart, some languishing under
unfruitful weakness, and some bleeding for miscarri-
ages and wilfulness, and some in a lethargy, that they
are past complaining ; some crying out of their pin-
ing poverty ; some groaning under pains and infirmi-
ties, and some bewailing a whole catalogue of calami-
ties, especially in days of common sufferings ; but
©ur daf of rest will free us and them from all this.
Now we may enter many a poor christian's cottap-e,
and see poverty possessing and filling ail ; how much
better is that day, when we shall see them filled with
Christ, clothed with glory, and equal with thi;
greatest princes ?

r 2

66 The Saints* Everlasting Rest.

But a far p^reater grief it is to our spirits, to see
the spiritual miseries of our brethren : to see such an
one, with whom we took sweet counsel, now falling
off to sensuality, turned drunlcard, worldling, or a
persecutor, and these trying times have given us too
large occasion for such sorrows ; to see our dearest
friends turned aside from the truth of Christ, and con-
fident in the flesh continue their neglect of Christ and
their souls, and nothing waging them out of their se-
curity ; and to thin': how certainly they shall be in
hell for ever, if they die in their present state : and
will it not be a blessed day when we shall rest from all
these sorrows ? ' When the people shall be all righteous,
even the work of God's hands, the branch of his plant-
ing, that he may be glorified ?" Thus shall we rest froni
our participation of our brethren's sufferings.

6. We shall rest from all our personal sufferings.
And though this may seem a small thing to those that
live in continual case, and abound in all kind of pros-
perity ; yet methinks- to the daily afflicted soul, it
should make the fore-thoughts of heaven delightful :
and I think I shall meet with few of the saints, but
will say, that this is their own case.

Though we are reconciled by the blood of the co-
venant, and the price is paid for our full deliverance ;
yet our Redeemer sees fit to leave this measure of mi-
sery upon us, to mind us of what we would else for-
get : to be serviceable to his wise and gracious designs,
and advantageous to our full and final reco\ery. As
all our senses are the inlets of sin ; so they are the in-
lets of sorrow. Grief creeps in at our eyes, at our
ears, and almost every where : it seizeth upon our
heads our hearts, our flesh, our spirits : and what part
doth escape it ? fears devour us, and dar|cen our de-
lights, as the frost nips the buds : cares feed upon our
spirits, as the scorching sun doth wither the delicate

The Saints^ Everlasting' Rest,

o

flowers. Or, if any hath fortified his inwards against
these, yet he is naked still without.

What tender pieces are these dusty bodies ? What
brittle glasses do we bear about us ? And how manjuj^
thousand dangers are they hurried through r And how
hardly cured if once cracked ? O the multitude of
slender veins, of tender membranes, nerves, fibres,
muscles, arteries ; and all subject to obstructions, ten-
sions, contractions, resolutions, ruptures, or one
thing or other to cause their grief! Every one ^is a
fit subject for pain, and fit to communicate that pain
to the whole : but sin, and flesh, and dust, and paiii,
will all be left behind together.

O the blessed tranquility of that region, where
there is nothing but sweet continued peace ? No suc-
cession of joy there, because no intermission. Our
Jives will be but one joy, as our time will be changed
into one eternity. O healthful place, where rone
are sici< I O fortunate land, v*here all are kings ! O
place most holy, where all are priests ! Plow free a
state, v/here none are servants, save to their supreme
monarch • Our face shall no mare be pale or sad ; our
groans and sighs will be done away, and God thall
nri/ie aivay all tears from our eyes. No more parting
of friends, nor voice of lamentation heard in our
dwellings ; no more breaches nor disproportion in our
friendship, nor any trouble accompanying our rela-
tions : no more care of masters for servaiUs, or pa-
rents for children, or magistrates over subjects, or
ministers over people. O what room can there be for
any evil, where the whole is perfectly filled with
God ! '' Then shall the ransomed of the Lord return and
come toSion with songs, and everlasting joy upon their
heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow
and sighing shall flee away," Isaiah xxxv. 10. Hold
out then a little longer O my soul ; bear with the in-
firmities of thine earthly tabernacle ; endure that share

7

#8 The SahiiS^ Everlasting Rest,

of sorrcvrs, ihat the love of thy Father shall impose ;
submit to his indignation also, because thou hast sin-
ned acjainst him pit Vvill be thus but a little while ;
. sound of tlj-J' Redeemers feet is even at the door;
..:\:\ thine own deliverance nearer than many others.
And thou who hast often, cried in the language of the
riivinepoct,

'• Sorroiv was all jny soul ; I scarce beliex>*d^
^Till grief did till me roundbj^ that I liv*d ;"

shall then feel, that God and joy is all thy soul ; Ihc
fi'uilion of whom, with thy freedom from all these
sorrows, wiil more sweetly and more feelingly make
thee know, and to Lis eternal praise acknowledge,
that thou livest. And thus we shall rest from ail af-
flictions.

The last blessed attribute of this rest is, that it is
an eferiuU rest. This is the crown of our crown ;
without which all were comparati\ely nothing. The
very thoug'ht of leaving it v/ould embitter all our
joys ; and tlie more, because of the singular excel-
lencies we must forsake. It would be a hell in hea-
ven to think of once losing heaven : as it would be a
kind of heaven to tiie damned, had they but hopes of
®nce escaping.

It makes our present life of little value (were it
tiot for the reference it hath to eternity) to think that
we must shortly lay it down. How can we take de-
light in any thing, when we remember how short that
delight will be ? But, O blessed eternity I where
our lives are perplexed with no such thoughts, nor
our joys interrupted with any such fears ? O what do
I say when I talk of eternity ? Can my shallov/
thoughts conceive it ? To be eternally blessed, and so
blessed I Surely this, if any thing, is the resemblance
of God J ctarnity is % piece of infmiteness. Then,

The Saints' Everlasting Rsct. 69

O death, ivhe-^-p i.<i tky sth.g ? O grav^ ".r/icre z? fhif
vicimy ? Duys, anil nights-; and years, time ain! en:l,
and denth are words i»'Mich, there, have no siiniifjca-
tioa ; nor are used, excfpt perhaps to e^tol eternity ;
as the mention of hell to cXtol I»tfaVen : all lire years
of our Lord, and the years of our life, are swallowed
up and lost in this eternity.

While we were servants, we held ty lease ; and that
but for the term cf transitory lif^ : But tl>t'^o}ia!tn<leth
intht h^m^&for tver. Our earthly paradise in Eden had
a way out, but none, that ever we could ^md^ in
ag-ain : but this eternal paradise Jiath a way in (a
milky way to us, but a bloody way to Christ) but no
way out again : For thtxj thai wntCldp ana from /i&ic^to
you (saifh ^Abraham) cannot : i\ 5tranf;-e pnra^tl wonld
any pass from such a pface, if they iiiig-ht ? Could
thL'y endure to be al^sent from God again one 1-oiir?
No : but upon supposal they would, yet they could
not. O then, my soul letjgo thy dreams cf present
pleasures : and loose thy \\o\C of er.rth and flesh. Fear
not to enter that estate, where thou shalt ever after
cease thy fears. Sit down, and sadly once a (hy be-
think thyself of this eternity : am^ng all the an'th-
nietical numbers, study the vp.Iue of tJiis infinite cy-
pher, which though it stand for pothing* in the vriJ-
gar account, doth yet contc/m all our mi^Vioiv hm
much less than a simple unit: lay by the }*jrp'ejt«4tiifd
contradicting?; chronological tables, and fix thine eye
on this eternity ; and the lines which remote thou
Gouldst not follow thou shalt see all together here con-
centred. Study less these tedious volumes cf hislory,
which contain but the silent narration of drecrns, and
are but the pictures of the actions of s)iii:i<?4rj« ; and
instead of all, study frequently, stftdy thorouohly, this
one wor-l \_€termtf^'] and when thou hast tlioiou; Idy
learned that one word, thou wilt never look on booi^s
again. What ! live and never die I Rejoice, and ever
rejoice ! O, what sweet words are these I This word

•J Tfie Scunta^ Everlasting Rest.

Wvcrias:irg'] contaiiis the accomplislrjcl perfection of
our ^jlory. O that the wicked sinner would but
>:oundIy study this word {^cverlaathig ;] melhinks it
oJioulfl btartle him out of his deep sleep ! () that the
gracious soul would believintjly study this Avord [ci-er-
lantiyig ;] m-ethinks it should revive in him the deepest
agony I And must I, Lord, thus live for ever ?
Then wil! I also love for ever. Must my joys be im-
mortal ? And shall not my thanks be also immortal ?
Surely, if I shall nevjer lose my glory, I will never al-
bO cease ihy praises. If thou wilt both perfect and
perpetuate me, and my ^lory ; as I shall be thine,
and not mine own, so shall my L^Iory be thy glory ;
and as they did tare their spring- from thee, so all
shall devolve to thee again ; and as thy glory was
thine ultimate end in my glory, so shall it also be mine
end, when thou hast crowned me with th.at glory
v/hich hath no end. And to " Thee, O kin^; eternal,
immortal, invisible, the only wise God, shall be the
honour, and glory, for ever and ever. Amen.'*

CHAP. VI.

Ti:c People of God described.

li WING thus performed my first task of describ-
ing the sainis' rest : it remains that now I proceed
to the second, and shew you what thesfe people ok'
God are, and why so called ;; for whom this blessed
rest remaineth.

Rec?;eneration is the first and great qualification of
the people of God. To be the people of God with'
out regeneration, is as impossible as to be the children
of men without generation ; seeing we are born God's
enemies, we must be new-born his sons, or else ref-
main his enemies still.

The SahUiP Everlasting Rest, 71

Christ hath spoken it with his mouth, " That except
a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom
of God." The greatest reformation of life, ^vithout
this new life wrought in tiie soul, may procure our
further delusion, but never our salvation.

But by what acts doth this new life discover itself?

The first work I call conviction, which comprehends
the knowledge of what the scripture speaks against sin
and sinners ; and that the scripture which speaks so,
is the word of God himself. It comprehends also,
some knowledge of ourselves, and our own j:uilt, and
an acknowledgement of the verity of those consequen-
ces, which, from the practice of sin in us, and threats
in scripture, conclude us miserable.

2. As there must be conviction, so also sensibility,
God works on the heart, as well as the head ; both
were corrupted and out of order. The principle of
new life doth quicken both. All true spiritual Know-
ledge doth pass into the affections. The gi'cat things
of sin, of grace, and Christ, and eternity, which <ire of
weight one would think to miOve a rock ; yet shahe
not the heart of the carnal professor, nor pierce his
soul to the quick : though he should be a constant
preacher of them to others, yet they little affect him-
self: when he is pressing them upon the hearts of
others, you would little think hovv- insensible is his
own soul : his invention procureth him zealous and
moving expressions, but they cannot procure him an-
swerable affections.

The thinf2;s that the soul is thus convinced and sen-
sible of, are especially these :

1. The evil of sin. The sinner is made to know
and feel that the sin, which was his delight, is a
more loathsome thing than toads or serpents, and a

72 The Saints' Everlasting Rest.

greater evil than plague or famine, or any other cala-
mities : it being a breach of the rig-hteous law of the
most high God, dishonourable to him, and destructive
to the sinner.

Now the sinner reads and hears the reproofs of sin,
as words of course ; but when you mention his sin, he
feels you speak at his very iic^ait, and yet is contented
you should shew him the worst ; he was wont to mar-
vel, what made men keep such a stir a.^ainst sin. what
harm it was for a man to take a little pleasure ; he
saw no such heinousness in it. But now the case is
altered ; God hath opened his eyes to see its inex-
pressible vileness.

2. The soul in this great work is convinced and
sensible, as of the evil of sin, so of its own misery by
reason of sin. They who before read the threats of
God's law, as men do the stories of foreign wars ;
now find it is their own story, and perceive they read
their own doom, as if they found their names writf^n
in the curse, or heard the law say, as Nathan, ihou
art the man. The wrath of God seemed to him but
as a storm to a man in a dry house : but now he finds
the disease is his own, and feels the pains in his own
bowels. In a word, he finds himself a condemned
TCixn-, dead and damned in point of law, and th;it no-
thing is wanting but mere execution to maKe him ab-
solutely and irrecoverably miserable.

Whether you will call this a work of the law or
gospel, it is a woiiK of the Spii it wrought in some mea-
sure in all the regenerate : And thougb. some judge it
unnecessary bondage, yet it is beyond my conceivnig,
how lie should come to Christ for pardon, that first
found not himself guilty and condenmeu : The rchole
nttd nut tli.f jihrjsician., but they that are tiick. Yet i de-
ny not, but the discovery of the remedy as soon as the
misery, may prevent a great part of the trouble, and

Tiie Saints' Everlasting- J^est. 7i

the distinct effect on the soul, to be vvith much more
difficulty discerned : n^iy, the uctintcs of the soul arc
so quick, and oft so confused, tliat the distinct order
of these workings may not be apprehended or remem-
bered at all : and perhaps t'le joyful apprehension's of
mercy' may make the sense of misery the sooner for-
g;otten.

3. So dotli the Spirit also convince the soul, of the
creature's vanity and insufficiency. Every man natu-
rally is a flat idolater, our heart,s v/cre turned from
God in our first fall ; and ever since the creature liath
been our God : this is the £i:rand sin of nature : when
we set up to ourselves a wrong end. we must needs
err in all the means. The creature is to every unre-
generate man his God ; he ascribeth to it tlie divine
prerog-atives, and alloweth it the highest room in his
30ul, or if ever he come to be convinced of misery,
he fleeth to it as his Saviour. Indeed God and his
Christ have usually the name ; but the real expecta-
tion is from the creature, and the work of God is
laid upon it. His pleasure, his profit, and his honour,
is the natural man's trinity ; and his self, that is. these
in unity : indeed, it is that flesh that is the principal
idol ; the other three are defined in their relation to
ourselves. It was our first sin, to aspire to be as
gods ; and it is the greatest sin that runs in our blood,
and is propagated in our nature from generation to
generation.

When God should guide us, we guide ourselves ;
vvhcn he should be our sovereign, we rule ourselves.
The laws which he gives us, we find fault with ; and
if we had had the mailing of them, we would have
made them otherwise : when he should take care c^
MS (and must, or we perish) we will care for our-
jjelves \ when we should depend on him daily, we haid
;ather keep our stock ourselves, and have our portion

G

'.'4 The Sabita^ Everlasting Rest,

in our oww hands ; when we should stand at his disprt-
sal. we would be at our o\ni ; and when we should
submit to his providence, we usually quarrel at it ;
as if we knew better what is goo«i for us than he, or
how to dispose all things niore wisely. This is the
language of a. carnal heart, though it doth not always"
spea!> out. When we should study God, we study
ourselves ; when we should mind God, we mind our-
selves ; when we should love God, we love ourselves ;
when we should trust God, we trust ourselves ; when
we should lionour God, we honour ourselves ; when
•we should ascribe to God, and admire him, v.'e ascribe
to, and admire ourselves : and instead of God, we
would have all men's eyes and dependence on us, and
all men's thanks returned to us, and would gladly b«
the only men on earth admired and extolled by all.

And thus we are naturally our owa idols : but down
falls this Dagon when God does once renew the soul ;
it is the great business of that great work to bring the
heart back to God. He convinceth the sinner, 1.
That the creature can neither be his God, to make
him ; 2. Nor yet his Christ, to recover him from his
misery to restore him to God who is his happiness.
This, God doth not only by preaching-, but by Pro-
vidence also ; because 'words will hardly ta'^e off the
raging senses, therefore doth God make his rod to
speak, and continue speaking, till the sinner hear, and
hath learned this great lesson.

This is the great reason why affliction doth so or-
dinarily concur in the work of conversion ; these real
arguments whieh speak to the quick, will force a
hearing when the most powerful words are slighted.
When a sinner made his credit his God, and God
shall cast hina into the lowest disgrace ; or bring him
that idolized his riches, into a condition wherein thej
cannot help him, or cause them to take wings and fly
away j what a help is here to this work of conviction I

The Saints^ Everlasting Rc^^t,

When a man that has made his pleasure his Gvod, whe-
f.her ease, or sports, cr mirth, or company, or ghit-
tony, or drunkenness, or cloihin.u;, or buildings ;
or whatsoevnf a ranc]^inp^ eye, a curious ^ar, a ra9;ing
appetite, or a histful heart could desire, and Cod
shall take these from him, or ^ive him their stinj^and
curse with them, and turn them all into p,all and
wormwood, what a help is here to conviction? When
God shall cast a man into a languishing sickness, and
inflict wounds and anguish on his heart, and stir up
against him his own conscience, and then as it were
tajvc him by the hand, and lead him to credit, to
riches, to pleasure, to company, to sports, or what-
soever was dearest to him, and say, now try if these
can help you ; can these heal tiiy wounded conscience?
Can they now support thy tottering cottage? Can
they keep thy departing soul in thy body ? Or save
thee from mine everlasting wrath I Will they prove
to thee eternal pleasure? Or redeem thy soul from
the eternal flumes ? Cry aloud to them, and see now
whether these will be instead of God and his Ciuist.
unto thee. O how this works with ll;e sinner ! whea
sense itself acknowledgeth the truth, and even the
fiiish is convinced of the creature's vaiiity.

4. The fourth thing ihat the soul is convinced and
sensible of, is the absolute necessity, the full suflicien-
cy, and perfect excellency of Jesus Christ.

This conviction is not by mere argumentation, as
a man is convinced of some uncoiicerning consequence
by diiipute : but also by tlie sense of our desperate
misery, as a man in a famine, of the necessity of food ;
or a man that had read, or heard his condemnation,
is convinced of the absolute necessity of a pardon.
Now the sinner finds himself in another case than ever
he was aware of: he feels an insupportable burden
upon him, and sees there is none btjt Christ can take
it off: he perceives that he is under the wrath of

5^6 The Saints' Everlasting Rcst>,

God, and that the law proclaims him a rebel and
€nit-law, and none hut Christ can make his peace: he
is a man piirsr..<; by a lion, that must perish if he
find i'ot prcsfcnt sanctuary ; he feels the ^rse doih lie
Vipon him, and upon all he hath, for his sake, and
Christ alone can make him blessed : h>e is now brourjjht
lo this dilemma, either he must have Christ to justify
him, or be eternally condemned ; he must have Christ
to save him, or burn in hell forever : he must have
Christ to brinp^ him ap;ain to God, or be shut out of
hi€ presence everlastingly. And no wonder, if he cry,
asthemxartYtLambert,«07i<' but Chr'tat : nove but Chrint.
It is not gold, but bread, that will satisfy the hungry :
nor any thine; but pardon, that will comfort the con-
demned. All tJihigs are now but dross and dimg ; and
'Tchat he counted galn^ is now but loss in comparison of
Christ : for jis the sinner seeth his utter misery, and
the disability Of hinif ''-If-, tincl Jill things to relieve him j
£0 he doth perceive, that there is no savinr; mercy out
of Christ. There is none found in heaven or on earth
that can open the sealed book, save the Lamb ; with-
out his blood there is no remission, and without remis-
sion there is no salvation. Could the sinner now make
cny shift without Christ, or could any thing else sup-
ply his wants, and save his soul, then might v. hrist be
disregarded : but now he is convinced, that there is
no other name, and the necessity is absolute.

2. And as the ^oul is thus convinced of the neces-
sity of i hrist, so r.lso of his full suHiciency : he sees,
though the creature cannot, and himself cannot, yet
Christ can. Though the fig-leaves of our own un-
rigliteous righteousness are too sliort to cover our na-
kedness, yet the righteousness of Christ is large enough:
oiu's is disproportionable to the justice of the law, but
Christ's doth extend to every tittle: liis sutierings be-
ing a perfect satisfaction to the lavr, and all power in
heaven and earth [)eing given to him^ he is now able to

Tke Saints* Everlasting Rest, 77

supply every one of our wants, and to save to the tit-
most all that come to hhn.

3. The soul is also here convinced of the perfect
excellency of Jesus Christ, both as he is considered
in himself, and as considered in relation to us ; both
as he is the only way to the Father, and as he is the
end being one with the Father. Before he knew
Christ's excellency as a blind man knows the light of
the sun ; but now as one that beholdeth his glory.

And thus doth the Spirit convince the soul.

4. After this sensible conviction, the will discover-
eth also its change ; and that in regard of all thefor^^
mentioned objects.

1. The sin which the understanding pronounceth
evil, the will doth turn from with abhorrency. Not
that the sensitive appetite is changed, or any way
made to abhor its object ; but when it would carry us
to sin against God ; this disorder and evil the v. iil ab-
horreth.

2. The misery also which sin hath procured, as he
discerneth, so he bewaileth. It is impossible that the
soul now livin'r, should look eith '^r on its trespass
against God, or its own self-procured calamity, with-
out some compunction. He that truly disterneth,
that he hath killed Christ, and killed himself, will
surely in some measure be pricked to the heart. If
he cannot weep, he can heartily groan ; and his heart
feels what his understanding sees.

3. The creature he now renoiinceth as vain, and
turneth it out of his heart with disdain. Not that he
undervalueth it or disclairaeth its use ; but its idolci-
h'ous abuse, and its unjust usurpation*

G 2

Tfie 3ai Jits' Eyei-lasthiT J^est.

d

There is a two-fold error very common in the de-
9criplions of the work of conversion. The one of
those who only mention the sinner's turning from sin
to (iod, without mentioninj^' the receivings Christ by
faith. The other, of those who only mention a sin-
ner's believing, and then think they have said all:
nay, they blame them as Legalists, who make any
thing but the bare believing of the love of God in
Christ to us, to be part of the work ; and would per-
suade poor souls to question all their former comforts,
and conclude the work to have been only legal, be-
cause they have made their change of heart and turn-
ing from sin, part of it ; and ha\e taken up part of
their comfort from the reviewing of these.

Indeed, should they take up here without Christ,
or take such a chang^e instead of Christ, in whole or
in part, the ^representation were just. But can Christ
be the way, where the creature is the end ; is he not
the only way to the Father ? Can we seek to Christ
to reconcile us to God, while in our hearts we prefer
the creature before him ? In the soul of every unre-
generate man, the creature is both God and Christ.
Can Clirist be believed in, where our own righteous-
ness, or any other thing, is trusted as our Saviour.

The truth is : as turning from the creature to God,
and not by Christ, is no true turning ; so believinv;^ in
Christ, while the creature hath our hearts, is no true
believing. And therefore in the work of self-exami-
naiion, whoever would find in himself a thorough sin-
cere work, must find an entire work ; even the one
of these, as well as the other.

In the review of which entire work, there is no
doubt but his soul may take comfort. And it is not
to be made so light of, as most do, that scripture doth
?o ordinariljr put repentance before faith, and make

The Saints^ Everlasting Rest, 79

them jointly conditions of the gospel : which repent*
ance contains those acts of the will before expressed.

It is true, if vre take faith in the largest sense then
it contains repentance in it : but if wc take it strictly,
no doubt there are some acts of it go before repent*
ance, and some follow after.

4. And as the will is thus averted from the fore-
mentioned objects ; so at the same time dotli it cleave
to God the Father, and to Christ. Its fiist acting
consists especially In intending and deslrini': God for
his portion and chief good ; havinjij* before been con-
vinceds that nothing else can be his happiness, he now
finds it in God : and therefore looks towards it, —
But it is yet rather with desire than hope. For alas,
the sinner hath already found himself to be a sti anger
and an enemy to God ; under the guilt of sin and
curse of the law, and knows there is no coming to
him in peace till his case be altered ; and therefore
having before been convinced also that only Christ
is able and willin ;; to do this, and bavin: heard this
mercy in the gospel freely offv^.red ; his next act is, to
accept of Christ as his Saviour and Lord.

Therefore both mistake : they who only mention
our turning to Christ, and they who only mention our
turning to God in this work of conversion. St. Paul's
preaching was refievtance towards God, and faith to-
•ward our Lord Jesus Christ, jind ife eternal con.sists^
^rst, in knowing the only true God^ and then Jesus
Christ whom he hath se7it, John xvii. 3. The former is
the natural part of the covenant, to take the Lord only
for our God. The latter is the supernatural part to
take Christ only for our Redeemer. The former is
first necessary, and implied in the latter.

Though repentance and good works are required
\o our full justjftcation at judgmentj as subservient to,

80 The Saints^ Everlasting- Rest*

or concurrent with fciith ; yet is the nature of this jus-
ifying faith itself contained, in accepting of Christ
for Saviour and Lord. I cull it acceptinp;, it being
principally an act of the will ; but yet also of the whole
soul. This acceptin'-v bein;< that which the ijospel
presseth to, and calleth it an afieclionate accepting,
tholigh love seem distinct from faith, yet I taVe it as
essential to that faith that justifies. To accept Christ
without love, is not justifyin;^ faith. Nor doth love
follow as a fruit, but immediately concur j as essential
to a true acceptin^^.

It is an acceptin^^ him for our Saviour and Lord. —
For in both relations will he be received, or not at all.
It is not only to acknowledge his suffering;s, and ac-
cept of pardon and glory, but to acknowledge his so-
vereignty, and submit to his government and way of
saving.

The work (which Christ thus accepted of, is to per-
form) is, to bi-ing: the sinners to God, that they may
be happy in him ; and this both really by his Spirit,
and relatively in reconciling them, and makin;; them
sons ; and to present them perfect before him at last,
land to possess them of the kingdom. The obtaining
of these are the sinner's lawful ends in receiving Christ j
and to these uses doth he oiler himself to us.

5. To this end doth the sinner now enter into a cor*
dial covenant with Christ. But he was never strictly,
nor comfortably in covenant with Christ till now. He
is sure Christ doth consent, and now doth he cordially
consent himself; and so the agreement is fully made.

6. With this covenant concurs, a mutual delivery ;
Christ delivereth himself in all comfortable relations
to the sinner, and the smner delivereth up himself to
be saved and ruled by Christ. Now doth the souLre-

Tht Saints'* Evirhsting Rest. 81

s«Ivedly conclude, T have been blindlj^ led by the flesh,
the world, and the devil, too long, almost to my de-
struction ; I will now be wholly at the disposal of my
Lord, w ho hath bought me with his blood, and will
bring me to his glory. And thus the complete work
of saving faith consisteth in this covenanting, or mys-
tical marriage of the sinner to Christ.

Thus you have a naked enumeratisn of the essen-
tials of this people of God ; not a full portraiture of
them in all their excellencies, nor all the notes where-
by they be discerned. And though it will be part of
the following application, to put you upon trial : yet
because the description is now before your eyes, and
these evidencing works are fresh in your memory, it
will not be unseasonable, to take an account of your
own estates, and to view yourselves#exactly in this
glass, before you pass. And I beseech thee, reader,
TlZ thou hast the hop* of a christian, yea, or the reason
of a man, to deal thoroughly, and search carefully,
and judfre thyself as one that must shortly be judged
by the riirhteous God : and faithfully answer to these
few questions.

And first, hast thou been thoroughly convinced of
ao universal deprivation, through thy whole soul ?
And an universal wickedness through thy v.'hole
life I and how vile a thing this sin is : and that by the
tenor of that covenant which thou hast transgressed,
the least sin deserves eternal death ? Dost thou consent
to this law, that it is true and righteous ? Ilast thou
perceived thyself sentenced to this death by it, and
been convinced of thy undone condition ? Hast thou
furthen seen the utter insufficiency of every creature,
either to be itself thy happiness, or the means of cur-
ing this thy misery, and makin'< thee happy in
God ? Hast thou been convinged, that thy happiness
is only in God as the end ? and only in Christ as the
ivay to him ? and that thou must be J^ught to God

86 The Saints* Everlasting Rest,

by Christ, or perish eternally ? Hast thou seen herevi|i-
on an absolute necessity of enjoying Christ ? and the
full sufficiency that is in him, to do for thee whatso-
ever thy case rerjuireth, by reason of the fulness of his
satisfaction, tlie greatness of his power, the dignity of
his person, and ihe freeness of his promises r Hast
thou discovered the excellency of this pearl, to be
worth thy selling: all to buy it ? Hath all this been
joined with some sensibility ? As tht convictions of a
man that thirsteth, of the worth of drink ? And not
been only a change of opinion produced by reading
and ttdiication, as a bare notion in the understanding ?
Hath it proceeded to an abhorrins; sin ? Have both
thy sin and misery been a burden to thy soul ? and if
thou couldst not weep, yet couldst thou groan under
the insupportable weight of both ? Hast thou renoun-
ced all thine o^x\ righteousness i Hast thou turned
thy idols out of thy heart ; so that the creature hath
no more the sovereignty : but God and Christ ? Dost
thou accejH of Christ as thy only Saviour, and expect
tliy justification, recovery, and glory from him alone I
Dost thou take him also for Lord and King ? And are
his laws the most powerful commanders of thy soul ?
Do they ordinarily prevail against the commands of
the flesh, of Safa7u of the greatest en earth that shall
countermand? and against the interest of thy credit,-
profit, pleasure, or life ? So that thy conscience is di-
rectly subject to Christ alone ? Hath he the highest
room in thy affections ? So that though thou -canst not
love Inm as thou Avouldst, yet nothin> else is loved so'
much ? Hast thou made a hearty covenant to this end ?
and delivered up thyself to him I and takest thyself for
his, and not thine own ? Is it thy utmost care and
watchful endeavour, that thou mayst be found faith-
ful i!i this covenant ? If this be truly thy case, thou
art one of the people of (.iod : ami as sure as the pro-
mise of Ciod is till.-, th'^ blessed rest remains for thee.
Only Bce tlK)u abide in Christ and continue to the

The Saints* Everlasting Rest, S3

cjlid ; For if any draiv back, his soul v.kU have no fiUei-
nire in tliern.

THE CONCLUSION.

And thus I have explained to you the subject of niy
text, and shewed you darkly, what this rest is, and
briefly who are this people of God. O that the Lord
would now open your eyes, to discern, and be afiVct-
ed with the glory revealed I That he would take off
your hearts from those dung-hill delights, and ravish
them with the views of these everlasting pleasures !
That he would bring you into the state of his holy
and heavenly people, for whom alone this rest re-
maineth ! That you would exactly try yourselves by
the foregoing description I That no soul of you might
be so damnably deludpd, as to taf;e your natural or
acquired parts for the characters of a.^nt I O hap-
py, and thrice happy you, if these sermons might have
•Buch success with your souls, that so youipight die th-e
jdeath of the riifhteous, and your last e?id be Hke his J <^

■End of the First Part,

THE

SAINTS' EVERLASTING REST.

PART II.

Hebrews iv. 9.

There remaintth therefore a Beat to the Fcolile of
God.

CHAP. I.

I HAVE been hitherto presenting to your under*
standini^s, the excellency of the Rest of the Saints.
Let your hearts now cheerfully embrace it, and im-
prove it, and I shall present it to you, in its respec-
tive uses.

I will lay toc^ether all those uses that most concern
the unt!^odly, and then those that are proper to the
godly themselves.

T/ie iriconceivable misery of the ungodly in their loss of
this Rest.

And first, if this rest be for none but the people of
Cod, what tidings is this to the ungodly world ?
That there is so much glory, but none for them : so
great joys for the saints of God. while they must
consume in perpetual sorrows I If thou who readest
these Mords, art a stranger toC'hrist; and to the holy
nature and life of his people, and shalt live and die in

r/ie Sainta^ ^vcfiaHiv.^ Rest. %»

Uie eondition thou art now in ; I am a messenger of
the saddest tid'nv^s to thee, that ever yet thy ears did
hear : that thou sh^lt never partake of the joys of hea-
ven, nor have the least taste of the saints* eternal icst.
I may say to thee, as Ehud to Eglon ; I have a message
to thee from God : but it is a mortal message that
as sure as the word of God is true, thou shalt never
see the face of God with comfort. I'his sentence I
am commanded to pass upon thee ! Take it as ti^.ou
wilt, and escape it if thou canst. 1 know, if thy
heart and Hfe were thoroughly changed, thy relation
to Christ and eternity would be changed also ; he
would then acknowledge thee for one of his people,
and give thee a portion in the inheritance of his cho-
sen. But if thou end thy days in thy present condi-
tion, as sure as the heavens are over thy head, and the
earth under thy feet : as sure as thou livest and breath-
est in this air, so sure shalt thou be shut out of this rest
of the saints, and receive thy portion in everlasting
Tu'e. I expect that thou shouldst in the pride of thy
heart turn upon me, and say, and when did God
shev/ you the book of life, or tell you who they are
that shall be saved, and v/ho shut out ?

I will not answer thee according to thy foily : but
plainly discover this thy folly to thyself, that if there
be yet any hope, thou mayest recover thy understand-
iilg\ and return to God and live : First, I do not
name thee, nor any other ; I only conclude of the
unregenerate in general- and of thee conditionally, if
thou be such an one Secondly, 1 do not go about to
determine who sliall repent, and who shall not, much
less, that thou slialt never repent, and come to Christ,.
These things are unknown to me ; 1 had far rather
shew thee what hopes thou hast before thee, if thou
wilt not sit still and lose them : and I would far rather
persu-de thee to hearken in tin»e, before the door
it shut against thee, that so thy soul may leV^rn anrf
n

86 The Saints^ Everlasting Rest.

live, than tell thcc that there is no hope of thy re-
pcnliny; and returning. But if the foregoing descrip-
tion of the people of God do not agree with the state
of ihy soul ; it is tlien a hard question, whether thou
shalt ever be saved '. Even as hard a question, as whe-
ther God be true ? Do I need to ascend up into hea-
ven, to know, That nuithout holiness nojie shall see
God ? or, That only the pure in heart shall see God ?
or, That excefit a man be born again,, he cannot enter
■into the kingdom of God 7 Cannot these be known
without searching into God's councils ? And yet dost
thou ask me, how I know who shall fee saved ? ^\ hat
need I go up to heaven to enquire thvit of Christ,
which he came down to earth to tell us ? and sent his
Spirit in his prophets and apostles to tell us' and hath
left upon record to all the v/orld ? And though I do
not know the secrets of thy heart, and therefore cannot
tell thee by name, whether it be thy state, or no ; yet
if t!iou art but willing or diligent, thou mayest know
thyself, whether thou art an heir of heaven, or not.
And that is the main thing that I desire, that if thou
be yet miserable, thou m^yest discern it, and escape it.
But canst thou escape, if thou nei: lect Christ and sal-
vation ? If thou love father^ mother^ nvife^ children^
hoiines^ lands^ or thine own life better than Christ ; if
so. thou ran^t not be his discifile. And consequently canst
never be saved by him. Is it not as impossible for thee
to be saved, exec fit thou be borii again,, as it is for the
devils themselves to be saved ? Nay, God hath more
plainly and frequently spoken it in the scripture, that
such sinners as thou shall never be saved, than he hath
done, that the devils shall never be saved. And do
noi these tidings go cold to thy heart ? methinks but
that there is yet life and hope before thee, and thou
hast vet time and means to have thy soul recovered,
the sight of thy case should even strike thee dead with
amazement. But because I would fain have thee, if
it be possible, to lay it to heart, I will here stay a lit-
tle longer and shew thee, first, the greatness of thy

The Saints* Everlasting Rest. sr

loss ; secondly, the aggravation of thy unhappiness
ill this loss ; thiixily, the positive miseries that thou
must endure, with their aggravation.

First, The ungodly in their loss of heaven, lose
all that glorious personal perfection, which the peo-
ple of God there enjoy. They lose thr.t shining^
lustre of the body, surpassing the brightness of the
sun. Though even the bodies ol the wicked will be
raised incorruptible, yet that will be so far from be-
ing happiness to them, that it only makes them capa-
ble of the more exquisite tormfats. They would be
glc\d then if every member Mcys a dead member, that
it might not feel the punis.'imtnt inflicted on it : and
the whole body were a rotten carcase, or might again
lie down in dust and daikness. Much more do they
want that moral perfection which the blessed partake
of ; those holy dispositions ; that blessed conformity
to the holiness of God ; that cheerful readiness to do
his will ; that perfect rectitude of all their actions :
instead of these, they have their old ulcerous deformi-
ed souls, that perverseness cf will, that disorder in
their faculties, that loatlnng of good, that love to
evil, that violence of passion, which they had on earth.
It is true, their understandings will be nmch cleared,
both by the ceasing of temptation and deluding ob-
jects, and by the sad experience which they will have
in hell, of the falsehood of their former conceits and
delusions. But the evil disposition is never the more
changed ; they have the same dispositions still, and
fain would commit the same sins if they could ; they
want but opportunity : certainly they shall have none
of the glorious perfections of the saints, either in soul
or body. There will be a greater difference be-
tween these wretches and the glorified christians, than
there is betwixt a toad and the sun in the firmament.

But the great loss of the damned, will be their loss
ef God, they shall have no comfortable relation to

^^-i The Saints* Everiastin^ Rest.

iiim : r.or communion with him. As they did not like
to retain God in their kno"Jolcdgc ; but bid him, dejiart
from u'!, Hve de^iire not the knoivled^e of thy ways ; so
God will abhor to retain them in his household, or
*o give them enlertainment in his Fellovship and glo-
ry, lie will never admit them to the inheritance of
his saints, nor endure them to stand among'St them in
his pi'esence : but bid them, depart from mf, ye work'
(fr-'i of ijiiauity^ I know ye not. Now these men dare
bely the Lord, if not blaspheme, in callin,: him by
the title of their Father; how boldly and confidently
do tiiey daily approach him with their lips, and indeed
repi'oach him in their formal prayers, with that appel-
lation ? As if God would father the devil's children ;
cr, as if the slig-hters of Christ, the friends of the world,
the haters of godliness, or any that delight in iniquity,
yere the offspring of heaven ! They are ready now,
to lay confident claims to Christ, as if they were sin-
cere believers. But when that time is come, and
(Christ will separate his followers from his foes, and
his faithful friends from his deceived flatterers, where
then v.ill be their presumptuous claim ? Then they
shall find that God is not their father, but their foe,
because they would not be his people. And as they
would not consent that God should by his Spirit dwell
in ti;em, so shall not these evil doers dwell with him ;
the tabernacles of v/ickedness shall have no fellowship
with him ; nor the wicked inhabit the city of Ciod ;
*' for without are dogs soicerers, whoremongers, mur-
derers, idolaters, and whatsoever loveth and maketh a
I.e." God is first enjoyed in part on earth, before he be
fully enjoyed in heaven. It is only they, that walked
wiih him here, who shall live and be happy with him
there. Oh, little doth the world know whai^ a loss that
Piou] hath, who loseth God ! What were the world but
a (hmgeon, il' it had lost the sun ? What were the body,
but a loathsoniQ carrion, if it had lost the soul ? Yet
all these are nothing to the loss of God. So that as
th.e enjoyment of C©«i is the heaven of the saints j s«

The Saints* Everlasting Rest. 89

the loss of Gofl is the hell of the unp^odly. And as
the enjoying of God is the enjoying of all ; so the loss
of God is the loss of all.

7/?/'y//?/, As they lose God, so they lose all those
deligiitful aficctions and actions, by which the blessed
feed on God ; that transporlini^ knowledge : those
ravishing views of his glorious face: the inconceiva-
ble pleasure of loving God : the apprehensioi»s of his
infinite love to us : the constant joys which liis saints
are taken up with, and the rivers of consolation
"wherewith he doth satisfy them. Is it nothing to lose
all this I The employment of a king in ruling a king-
dom, doth not so far exceed the employment of the
vilest slave, as this heavenly employment exceedeth his,

Fourthbj^ They shall be deprived of the blessed so-
ciety of angels, and glorified saints. Instead of being
companions of those happy spirits, and numbered with
those joyful and triumphhig ii^ings, they must now be
members of the corporation of hell, where they shall
have companions of a far different nature. While
they lived on earth, they loathed the saints, they im-
prisoned, banished them, and cast them out of their
societies, or at least they would not be their compa-
nions in labour and in sufferings ; and therefore they
shall not now be their companions in their glory,
Isow you are shut out of that company, from which
you first sb.ut out yourselves ; and are separated from
them w^hom you would not be joined with. You
could not endure them in your houses, nor in your
towns, nor scarce in the kin^^rdom ; you too(< them as
Ahab did Elias, for the troublcrs of the land ; and as
the apostles were taken for men that tuvntd the world
upside d'jvjin : if any thing fell out amiss, you thought
all wds through them. \V^hen they were dead or ba-
nished, you were glad they were gone ; and thought
the cGuntry was well rid of them. They molested you
with their faithful reproving your sin : their holy con-
H 2

*K> The Saints^ Ever last h^ Re^t*

versation troubled you. You scarce ever heard th©«i
pray or sing- praises in their families, but it vva«) a vex-
ation to yo;i ; and you envied their liberty of worship-
ping Cod. And is it then any wonder if you be se-
p:\raled from them hereafter ! The day is near when
ihey will trouble you no more ; betwixt them and you
will be a great gulf set, that those that would pase
from thence to you (if any had a desire to ease yen
witli a drop of water) cannot, neither can they pa6*5
;» their., who would go from you.

CHAP. IT.

rjie Ag^ra-jutioii of the Loss of Hca'vcn i9 the

Uu^odlij.

I KixOW many will be rcaciy to think, if this be
.;il, t):cy do not much care : "wrhat care they for losing
I he perfections above? What care they for losinijj
Cod, his favour, or liis pn^sence ? Th^ lived mer-
'ily without him on earth, and why should it be so
•grievous to be without him hereafter? and what caie
'ley for beinn; deprived of that love, and joy, and
,; raising; of Ciod ? They never tasted sweetncbs in the
thinc^so^that nature; or what care they for bein^ de-
prived ot the fellowship of angels and saints ? They
- ould spare their company in this world well enough,
.nd why may they not be without it in the world to
..ome ? To make these men therefore understand the
truth of tlieir future condition, I will here annex these
two thin;^s.

I. I will shew you why this loss will be mtolera-
ole, and luosl tormenting then, though it seem a« no-
hin^ now.

The SalnU Ever!astl::g Rent. ^1

2. I will shew you what other lo3«es v.iil accompany
these ; which, though thty are less in ihemaelves, yt%
will now be more sensibly i pprehcnded.

1 . Then, That this loas of heaven will be mo: I tc: •
mendng:, may appear by thesie considerations.

1. Tlic understandings of the ungodly will be \.hc%
cleared, to know the worth of that which tliey have
lost. Now tliey lament not their loss of God, because
they never knew his excellency, nor the loss of that
holy employment and society, for thfv were neve;*
sensible what they v/ere v/orth. A man thut hath lort
a jewel and took it but for a common stone, is never
troubled at his loss ; but when he comes to know wht.c
he has lost, then he lamenteth it.

Thou.^h the understandings of the damned \\\'A not
then be sanctified ; yet v/ill they be cleared from a
multitude of errors. Tiiey think now that th-ir ho-
nour, their estates, their pleasures, their health and
life, are better v/orth their Ip.bour, than the things of
another world ; but when the Be things v/hich had their
hearts, have left them in misery, \^hen they know by
experience, the thini^s which before they did but read

and hear of, they will be quite in another mind

They would not believe that water would drov.n, till
they were in the sea ; nor that the fire would burn,
till they were cast into k ; but v^hcn they feel it, they
will easily believe. All that error of their mind, whicli
made them set liiyht by God, and abhor his worship,
and vilify his people, will then be removed by experi-
ence ; their knowledge shall be increased, that their
sorrov/s may be increased. Doubtless those poor souls
would be comparatively happy, if their undcrstrmdings
were v/holly taken from them, if they had no more
knowledge than idiots, or brute beasts ; or if they
>ftjew no more in hell, than they did upon earth, their
loss and mi^crv -vrould then ler^s trouble them.

92 The Sxiinia^ Everlasting J^est.

How happy would they now tliink themselves, if
they did not know there is such a place as heaven ?
Now when their knowledi^e would help to prevent
their misery, they will not know : but then when
their knowledg-e will hut feed their consuming fire,
they shall know whether they will or no.

2. The loss of heaven will more torment them then,
because, as the midcrstandinp^ will be cleared, so it
will be more enlarged, and made more capacious> to
conceive of the worth of that^^lory which they have
lost. The streii'^^th of their apprehensions, as Mell as
the truth of them, will then be increased. What
deep apprehensions of the wrath of Ciod, of the mad-
ness of sinninj^, of the misery of sinners, have tlc^.e
souls that now endure this misery, in compai/*wii of
those on earth that do but hear of it ? What sensible
appreliens'ons of the worth of life, hath the condcnui-
ed man that is going to be executed, in compai i^yn
of what he was wont to have in the time of his proE-
perity ? Much more M'ill the actual depr'vation of
eternal blessedness make the danuied exv^^edingly ap-
prehensive of the greatiiess of their loss ; and as a
large vessel will hold more water than a shell, so will
their more enlarged understandings contain more mat-
ter to feed tl e.r torment, tlian now their siiallow ca-
pacity can do.

3. And as the damned will have deeper apprehen-
sions of tiie happiness they have lost so will they have
a closer application of this doctrine to themselves,
which will exceedingly tend to increase their toiment.
It will then be no hard matter for them to say, this
is my loss, and this is my everlasting n^isery. The
wf'.nt of this is the main cause why they are now so
little troubI"d at tlieir condition : they are hardly
bnnight ^o believe that there is such a state of misery,
but more hardly to believe that it is like to be theig
own. This makes so many sermons to be lost, and

The Saints' Everlasting Rest* 93

kil thrcatcnin'^-s and warnii^s prove in vain. Let a
minfslcr of Cbrist sliew them their misery never s«
plainly, they will not be ptrsuaded that they are so
miserable. Let him tell them of the i^lory they must
lose, and the sufferings they must feel and they think
it is not they whom he means;. We fir.d in all our
preaching-, by sad experience, that it is one of the hard-
est things in the world to bring a wicked man to knov/
th?.t he is wicKed ; a man lliat is in the way to hell,
to know that he is in tiiat way ; or to make a man >ee
himself in a state of wrath and condemnation : how
seldom do we hear men, after the plainest discovery of
their condemned state, cry out, 1 etvi t/tc man I ' ov to
acknowledg-e, that if they die in their prsssnt condi-
Iton, they are undone for ever.

There is no persuadlncj men of th air misery till
they feel it, except the Spirit of the A!m!tj,hty per-
suade Ihern.

Oh, but when they find themselves suddenly in the
land of darkness, perceive by the execution of the sen-
tence that they v/e'-e iiideed condciiv*fe'd, la:' feci them-
selves in the scorching; Aames, and *<c tirat th*y are
shut out of the presence of God fov evtr, it" will then
be no such difficult matter to coiivir.ce them of their
misery : this particular application of C^l's an%;er to
themselves, v/ill then be the easiest n^.^ittcr in th^
world ; then they cannot choose but kriovv and apply
it, whether tiiey will . . .

4. Ao^c.in, as the uudei 5tar;dings and consciences
of sinners will be strenc^thened, so wilj their affccticns
be more lively and enlarged : as judwuciit will be no
longer blinded, nor conscience stifie*cl, so the affec-
tions will be no Ioniser stupified. A hard heart now
makes heaven and hell seem but trifles : and when v,e
have shewed them everjasTuig glory and misery, ihey
are us men half asleep, they scarse take notice whtt

94 Thf Sunt/ Everlasting Rest.

v}ii say, our words are cast as stones a^^ainst a hard
W-il!, v/'iich flv hack in the face of him that casteth
them. We tilk of terrible astonishing ihinsis, but it
is to (.lead men that cdnnot apprehend it : we speak
to rocks ratlier l»»ari to men : the earth will as soon
tremble as they. But when these dcaci wretches are
revived, what passionaLe 3fnsibi!ity \ what workiiig
affeetiom ! what panf^s of horror ! what d«;pth of sor-
row Will there then be ! How violently will they fiy
in their own faces ! How will they rage a:rainst their
former ma-lness 1 The lamentions of the ipost passi-
onate wife for the loss of Jier hush uid or of the ten-
d-^rest mofJier for the loss of her children, wii' be no-
th^n^j lO theirs for the loss of heaven. CSh^ \.\i: sejf-
accwsliig, and self-tormenting fury of those forlorn
wretches ! 'tlow they v/ill ev<m tear iheir own heorts,
and be Gou's execntior.ers upon themselves ! i am
persuaded, as it wriS none but themselves that com-
mitted the sin, and thepiselves that v/ere the mer'Uori-
ous caus:e of tl-eir sufTernvi^s, so themselves v/ii! be the
chief executioners of those sur;"'.:rini5s ; God wiil have
it so for the clearini^ of his jus' ice : even Sateen him-
self, &3 he was not so f^rent a cause of their spinning as
themselves, so will he not be so great an insirument
of their torment. How liappy v/ould you think your-
selves then, if you were turned into rocks, or any
thing that had neither passion nor sense \ How happy
were you, if you could nov/ feel, as lightly as you
were wont to hear I and if you could sleep out the
lime' of execution, as you did the time of the sermons
that warned you of it I But your stupidity is gone, it
will not be.

5. Moreover, ^t will much increase the torment of
the damned, tiial their memories will be as larL>;e and
strong as their understandings and affections. Were
their loss never so great, and their sense of it never so
passionate, yet if tliey covild but lose the use of their
memory, those passions would die, and that loss, be;-

The Saiyits* Everlasting Re^t, ^6

ing forgotten, would little trouble them. But as
they cannot lay by their life and being, so neither
can they lay aside any part of ti;at being. Under-
standing, conscience, affections, memory, must v\\ live
to torment them, which should have helped to their
happiness. And as by these they should have fed up-
on the love of God, and drawn forth perpetually the
joys of his presence ; so by these must they nov. feed
upon the wrath of God, and draw forth continually
the pains of his absence.

And yet these men would never be brought to con-
sider ; but in the latter days (saith the Lord) they
shall perfectly considei' it : when they aie ensnared in
the work of their ov.n hands : when God hath arrest-
ed them, and judr^m.ent is passed upon them, and ven-
geance is poured out upon them to tl:e full, t!ien they
cannot choose but consider it, whether they will or no.
Now they have no leisure to consider, nor any room
in their memories for the things of another life. But
then they shall have leisure enough, they shall be
"where they have nothing else to do ; their memories
«hall have no other employment, it shall be engraven
upon the tables of thj;ir hearts, (iod would have
had the doctrine of their eternal state to have been
written on the posts of their dccrs, on their houses on
their hands, and on their hearts : and seeing they re-
jected this counsel of the Lord, therefore sh.ill it be
written always before them in the place of their thral-
dom, that which way soever they look, they may
still behold it.

I will briefly lay down some of those considera-
tions, which will thus feed the anguish of these
damned wretches.

1. It will torment them to think of the g,*reatness of
the glory which they have lost. O if it had been that
which they could have spared, it had been a small mat-

\n.r : ( )r, if it l-ad been a loss reparable v ilh any thing
else ; if it had been health, or wealth, or friends, or
life, it had been nothin^^ ; but to lose t/utt exceeding
. • . r,:oI wdght of i;lory .' —

:.. .. \Nill torment them to think of the possibility
that once they Nsere in of obtaining it. Then thc-y
r.ill remember, tliC time v, as, uhen I was in as fair a
jK)Ssib;lily of the kii^dom, as cUiei-s ; 1 ^va» set upon
the sta:^-c of the ^vorld ; if I I.itI flayed my part wisely
and faithfully, now I might .have had possession of the
inheritance ; I miv;ht hav ,• been umongt yonder bless-
i-d saints, who am now tcrrnv-nted with these damped
(Unds! The Lord did set before me life and death,
t;nd having chosen deatli, 1 <lfi»er*fc to suffer it : the
pi'ize was once iieid out before me ; if I had run ^yelI,
i mij^ht have obtained it : if I had striven, 1 might
liave had the mastery ; ifl liad fought valiantly, 1 had
been crowned.

.". I V. ■;;. . L . more tor;r.cnt. them to remember, not
only the possibiiily, but the great probability that
once they were in, to obtain the crown. It will then
T.«>und them, to think: why. I IkkI once the iuJes
of the Spirit ready to liave assisted me. I was fully
purposed to have been another man, to have cleaved
to Christ, and to have forsook the world ; I was al-
most resolved lo have been wl oily for Clod : I had
even cast off my old companions, and yet 1 turned
back, and lost niy hold, and bro^ e my promises, and
slacked my purposes ; almost God had ptisuaded me
to be a real chK.itian and yet 1 conquered those per-
suasions. What workini^is were in my heart, when
a f.'.ilh.ful m.inister pressed home the irulli I O how
fair was 1 once for heaven I I had almost had it, and
yet 1 have lost it; if I had but fullo\\ed on to seek
th;: Lord, and blov^n up the sparks (;f di sire which
were kindled in me, 1 had now been blessed amon^
tllie saints.

Tke Saint;/ Everlasting Rest, 97

4. Yet further, it will much add to their torment
ttJ remember that God himself did condescend to en»
treat them : how lont^- he did wait, how freely he did
offer, how loving-ly he did invite, and how importu-
nately he did solicit them I how the Spirit did con-
tinue striving with their hearts, as if iie were loih to
take a denial : how Christ stood knocking- at the door
of their hearts, sermon after sermon, and one sabbath
after another ; crying out, open, sinner, open thy
heart to the Saviour, and I will come in and suli with
thee and thou luith me. Why dost thou thus d^elay ?
What dost thou mean, that thou dost not open to iiic ?
How long shall it be till thou attain to innocency ?
How loiig shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee ?
Wo to thee, O unworthy sinner I Vv ilt thou not be
made clean ? Wilt thou not be pardoned and sanctiri-
cd, and made happy ? When shall it once be ? O that
thou wouldst hearken to my word, and obey my gos-
pel ! " Then should thy peace be as the river, and thy
righteousness as the waves of feiie sea : though thy sins
^vere as red as crimson, 1 would make them as white
as the snow : O that thou were but wise to consider
this ! and that thou wouldst in time remember thy lat-
ter end, before the evil days come upon thee, and the
years draw nigh, when thou shalt say of all thy vain
ileliglits, I have no pleasure in them .'* Why sinner !
shall thy Maker thus bespeak thee in vain I Snail the
God of all the world beseech thee to be happy, and
beseech thee to have pity upon thine own soul, and
wilt thou not regard him ? Why did he make thy
ears, but to hear his voice ? Why did he make thy un-
derstanding, but to consider ? Or thy heart, but to en-
tertain the Son in love ? Thus saith the Lord of hosts,
consider thy ways.

O how all tliese passionate pleadings of Christ will
passionately tmnsport the damned with sdf-indigna-
tion ! That they will be ready te tear out their. •wn

€>3 y^/-'^ Saints'' Sver las ting J^esf*

hearts ! How fresh will the remembrance of them be
still in their minds, lancina^ their souls with renewed
toi-nients ? what self-coi.demning pangs will it raise
iviihin them, to remember how oft Christ wouW have
gathered them to himself cT'e// as tht htn gathtreth her
dnckfua under her ivings^ but they ivould not 7 Then
"will they ciy out against themselves, how justly is all
this befallen me ! Must 1 tire out the patience of
Christ ? Must I make the God of heaven to follow me
in vain, till I had wearied him with crying to me, rt-
pent^ return ? Must the Lord of all the world thus
wait upon me, and all in vain ? O how justly is that
patience now turned into fury, which falls upon my
soul with irresistible violence ! when the Lord cried
out to me in his word, Bow long nvill it be before thou
nvili be made clean and holy ? My heart, or at least my
practice answered, never ; I will never be so precise :
and now when I cry out, how long will it be till I
be freed from this torment, and saved Avith the saints i
how justly do 1 receive the answer I never,, nexnr /— .
Oh sinner, I beseech thee for thy own sake, think of
this while the voice of mercy soundeth in thine ears !
Yet patience continueth waiting upon thee : canst
thou think it will do so still ? Yet the offers of Christ
and life are made to thee in the gospel, and the hand
of God is stretched out to thee ; but will it still be
thus ? The Spirit hath not yet done striving with thy
heart : but dost thou know how soon he may turit
'away, and give thee over to a reprobate mind ? Thou
hast yet life, and time, and strength, and means : but
dost thou think that this life will always last ? Oh, eeek
the Lord while he may be foundy and call ufion him
'ivhile he is near : he that hath an ear to hear^ let him hear
v-hat Christ now speaketh to his soul. And to-day,
'7vhile it is called to-day, liar den not ijour hearts j lest
.':e swear in hi-y wrath that you shall never enter int9,
/:is rest. For ever blessed is- he, that fiath a hearing
heart and ear, while Christ hath a calling yoi^^ej

The Saints' EverlasUnp- Rest. -9^

5. Ai^aln, it will be a most cutting considt ration
tb these, to remerab^^v on what easy terms they might
have escaped their misery. If thc^ir work had been to
remove mountains, to conquer kingdoms, then the
impossibility \voul«i somewhat assuag;e the rage of their
self-accusing conscience. If their conditions for hea-
ven liad been the satisfying of justice for ail thei^
transgressions, the suffering cf all the law did lay up-
on them, or bearing- the burden which Christ Avas fain
to bear ; this were nothing but to suRer hell to escape
hell. But their conditions w^ere of another nature. —
The yoke was light and the burden was easy, which
Jesus Christ would have laid upon them ; his com-
mandments were not grievous. It was but to repent
and accept him as their Saviour ; to study his will,
and sect his face ; to renounce all other happiaess,
but that which he procur^th us, and to take the Lord
alone for our supreme good ; to renounce the govern-
ment of the world and the flesh, and to submit to his
meek and gracious government ; to forsake the ways
of our own devisinp:, and to walk in his holy de-
lightful way ; to engage ourselves to this by cove-
nant with him, and to continue faithful in that cove-
nant.

These were the terilis on which they might have
enjoyed the kingdom. And was there any thing un-
reasonable in all this ? was.it a harcl bargain to have
heaven upon these conditions ?

When the poor wretch shall look back upon these
easy terms which he refused, and compare t-lie labour
of them with the pains and loss which he there sustain-
eth, it cannot be now conceived hoW it will rend his
very heart ! Ah, thinks he, how justly do I suffer all
this ; who would not be at so small pains to avoid it ?
Where was my understanding when I neglected thy
gracious ofTer : when I called the Lord a hard master ;
and thought his pleasant service to be a bondage, and

100 The Saints^ Everlasting Rest,

the sen'ice of the devil and my fiesh to be the only
freedom? Was I not a thousand times worse than mad,
Vfhen I censured tlie holy way of God, as needless
}»reciscntss ? and criecV out on.it, as an intolerable
burden ? When I thought the laws of Christ too strict;
and all too much, that I did for the life to come ? O,
Avjuit had all tlie trouble of duty been, in comparison
©f the trouble I now sustain ? Or all the sufferinc^s fot
Christ and well-doing, in comparison of these suffer-
inp^s that I must undergo for ever ? What if i had spent
my days in the strictest life ? What if I had lived still
upon my knees ? What if I had lost my credit with
men ? and been hated of all men for the sake of Christ ?
and borne the reproach of the foolish ? What if I had
been imprisoned, or banished, or put to death ? O,
what had all this been to the miseries that I nowsufier !
Would not the heaven which I have lost, have recom-
pensed all my losses ? and should not all my sufferings
have been tjjere forgotten ? What if Christ had bid me
do some great matter ? as to live in continual tears and
sorrow, to suffer death a hundred times over ? (which
yet he did not) should I not have done it ? How much
more, wlien he said but " believe, and be saved : seek
my face, and thy soul shall live : love me above all,
walk in my sweet and holy way, take up thy cross and
iollow me, and I will save thee from the wrath of Cod,
and I will give thee everlasting life." O gracious of-
fer ! () easy terms ! O cursed -wretch, that would not
be persuaded to accept them \

6. This also v/ill be a most tormentins; considera-
tion, to remember what' they sold their eternal welfare
for. When they compare the value of the pleasures of
sin, with the value of the recompense of reward, how
will the vast disproportion astonish them! To think of
a few pleasant cups, or sweet morsels, a little case, or
low delight to the flesh ; and then to think of everlast-
ing glory ! What a vast difference between them Will
then appear I To think, this is all I had for my soul,

The SmntiJ* Everlasting Rest. 101

my God, my hopes of blessedness \ It cannot possibly
be expre^:sed how these thoughts will tear his heart.
Then will he ejjclaiin a<j!;aiiist his folly, O miserable
wretch I Did 1 set my soul to sale for so base a price ?
Did I part with my God for a little dirt and dross ?
and sell my Saviour, as Judas, for a little silver ? O for
how small a matter have I parted with my happiness !
I had but a dream of delight, for my hopes of lieaven i
and now I am awaked, it is all vanished ; where are
now my honours arid attendance ? My morsels are now
turned to gall, and my cups to wormwood. Ihey de-
lie:hted me no longer than while they were passing
down ; and is this all I have had for the inestimable
treasure ? O what a mad exchange did I make ! What
if I had gained all the world, and lost my soul ? But
alas, how small a part of the world was it, for which

I gave up my part of glory ! O that sinners would

think of this, when they are swimming in delights^
and studyin.'T to be rich and honourable I When they
are desperately venturing upon knoAvn transgression,
and sinning against the checks of conscience I

7. Yet much more will it add unto their torment,
'When they consider that all this was their own doings,
and that they wilfully procured their own destruction :
had they been forced to sin, it would much abate the
rage of their consciences, or if they v/ere punished
for another man's transgressions : or if any other had
been the chief author of their ruin : but to think,
that it was the choice of their own wills, and that
God had set them in so free a condition, that none
in the world could have forced them to sin against
their wills, this will be a griping thought. What,
(thinks this wretched creature) had I not enemies
cnourh in the world, but I must be an enemy to my-
self? God would neither give the devil, nor the
world so much power over me, as to force me to
somniit the least transgression. If I had not Consented,
I 2

102 The Sal fits'* Everlasting Rest

o

their temptations had been in vain ; they could JDiit en-
tice me, it was myself that yielded, and did the evil ;
and I must needs lay hands upon my own soul^ and
imbrue my hands in my own blood. Who should pi-
ty me, who pitied not myself, and who brought all
tliis upon mine own head ? Never did God do me
any g;ood, or offer me any for the welfare of my soul,
but I resisted him : he hath heaped mercy upon me,
and renewed one dehverance after another, to entice
my heart to him, and yet was I never heartily willing^
to serve him : he hath gently ch.astised me, and made
me groan under the fruit of disobedience, and yet
though I promised largely in my aflUction, I was ne-
ver unfeignedly willing to obey him.

Thus will it gnaw the hearts of these wretches, to
remember that they were the cause of their undoing,
and that they wilfully and obstinately persisted in their
rebellion, and were mere volunteers in the service of
the devil. They would venture, they would go on,
they would not hear him that spoke against it : God
ealled to them to hear and stay, but they would not :
men called, conscience called, and said to them, (as
Pilate's wife) have nothing to do ivith that hateful sin ;
for I have suffered many things because of it ; but they
would not hear ; their will was their law, their rule,
and their ruin.

8. Lastly^ it will yet ma^e the wound in their con-
sciences much deeper, when they shall remember,
that it was not only their own doing, but that they
were at so much cost and pains for their own damna-
"ion. What great undertakings did they engage in
o effect their ruin, to resist God, to conquer the
Spirit, to overcome the power of mercies, judgments,
^nd the word itself, to silence conscience ? All this
hey did take upon them and perform. What a num-
•)er of sins did they manage at once ! W^hat difficulties
<id *hey set upon I Even the conquering the power

The Saints' Everlasting Rest. 10^

«f reason itself. What dangers did they adventure
oli ! Though they walked in continual danger of the
wrath of Cod, and knew he could lay theni in the
dust in a moment ; though they knew Ihey lived '\i\
danger of eternal perdition, yet would they run upon
all this. What did they forsake for the service of
Satan and the pleasures of sin ? They forsook their
God, their conscience, their best friends, their hopes
ef salvation.

Oh the labour that it costelh poor v/retches to b*
damned 1 Sobriety they miglit have at a cheaper rate,
and a great deal of health and ease too ; and yet they
will rather have gluttony and drunkenness, with po-
verty and shame and sickness, with the out-cries and
lamentations of wife and children, and conscience it-
self. Contcntedness they might have with ease and
delight ; yet will they rather have covetousness and
ambition ; though it cost them study, and cares, and
fears, and labour of body and mind, and continual
unquietness and distraction of spirit. Though their
anger be nothing but a tormenting themselves and
revenge and envy consume their spirits, and keep them
upon a continual rack ; though uncleanness destroy
their bodies, and estates, and names ; yet will they
do and suffer all this, rather than suffer their souls
to be saved.

O how the reviews of this will feed the flames ifi
hell 1 With what rage will these damned wretches
curse themselves, and say, was damnation worth all
this cost and pains ? Was it not enough that I perish-
ed through my negligence, and that I sat still while
Satan played his game, but I must seek so diligently
my own perdition ? Might I not have been damned
on free cost, but I must purchase it so dearly ? I
thought I could hav^been saved without so much ado ;
and could I not have been destroyed without so much
ado I How well is all my care, and pains and vio^

104 The Skiinta^ Everlasting I^est*

lence now requited ? Must I work out so laboriously
my o'.vii damnalion, \vhen God commanded me t«
work out my salvation ' O if I had done as much
for heaven as I did for hell, I had surely had it. I
cried out of the tedious way of godliness ; and yet I
could be at more pains for Satan, and for death. If I
had loved Christ as strongly as I did my pleasures, and
profits, and honours, and thought on him as often,
and nouj^ht him as painfully- O how happy had I now
been ! But justly do I suffer the flames of hell, wh©
would rather buy them so dear, than have heaven
vhen it was purchased to my hands.

Thus I have shewed you some of those thoughts
which will aggravate tiie misery of these wretches for
ever. O that God would persuade thee, wjio readest
these words, to take up these thoughts now, for the
preventing that inconcsivable calamity, so that thou
may est not take them up in hell as thy own tormenf*

CHAP. IIL

Thei/ shall lose all things that are €omfortabk^
as zvell as Heaven,

HAVING shewed you those considerations which
"^ill then a gravate their misery, I am next to
shew you their additional losses, v/hich will aggravate
it. For as godUness hath the promise both cf thin life^
and that which is to co?nr ; and as God hath said. That
if v^p first seek his kingdom and righteousness^ all things
else shall be added to wv : so also are the ungodly threat-
ened with the loss both of spiritual and of corporal
blessings ; and because they sou^t not first Christ's
kingdom and rightt'ousness, t'jerefore shall they lose
¥oth it, and that which they did seek; and there shaB

The Saints' Everlasthig Rest, 105

lie taken Irom them even that little which they have.
If they could but have kept their present enjoyments,
they would not have much cared for the loss of hea-
ven : but catchintj at the shadow for the substance,
they now find they have lost both ; and that when
they rejected Christ, they rejected all things. If they
had lost and forsaken all for Christ, they would have
found all again in him ; for he would have been ?>11
in all to them : but now they have forsaken Christ for
other things, they shall lose Christ, and that also for
which they did forsake him.

But I will particularly open to you some of their
•ther losses.

1. They shall lose their present conceit of their in-
terest in God, and of his favour towards them, and
of their part in the merits and sufferings of Christ.
This false belief doth now support their spirits, and
defend them from the terrors that would else seize
upon them : but what will ease their trouble when
this is gone ? When they can believe no longer, they
will be quiet no longer. If a rnan conceit that he is
in safety, his conceit may make him cheerful till hi.s
misery comes, and then both his conceit and comforts
vanish »

There is none of this believing in hell ; nor any per-
>uaeion of pardon or happiness, nor ar:y boasting of
their honesty, nor justifying themselves. This was but
Satan's stratagem, that, being blindfold, they might
follow him the more boldly ; but then he will unco-
ver their eyes, and they shall see where they are.

2. Another addition to the misery of the damned
will be this : that with the loss of heaven, they shall
lose all their hopes. In this life, though they were
threatened with the wrath of God, yet their hope oi
oscaping it did bear up their hearts. AVe can nqVY

106 The Saints' Zver lasting Rest*

scarce speak with the vilest drunkard, or s^?earer, 9ne
scornt- r, but he hopes to be saved for all this. O hap-
py VI orld ! if salvation v/cre as common as this hope ;
e|tn those whose hellish nature is v.'ritten in the face
©f their conversation, vi'hose tongues plead the cause
©f the devil, and speak the language of iiell ; yet strong-
ly hope for heaven, though the God of heaven hath
told them no such shall ever come there. Nay, so
strong are mcn*s hopes, that they will dispute the cause
with Christ himself at jud^'ment, and plead thdr eating
mnd dritikiiig in his p.renence^ their fireaching in hit
nanir^ and catting out devils^ (and these are more pro-
bable arguments than our baptism, and common pro-
fession, and name of christians) they will stiffly deny-
that ever they neglected Christ in hunger^ nakedness^
Jiri^eny till Christ confute them with the sentence o£
their condemnation. Though the heartof their hopes
■will be broken at their death ; yet it seems, they would
fain pleud for such hope at the general judgment.

But O the sad state of these men, when they must
feid farewell to all tlieir hopes I when their hopes shall
all perish with them I The eyes of the luicked shall
fail^ and their hofie shall be as the giving vfi*cf the
gl^st, Tiie 2:1 vin^ up of the ghost, is a fit, but terrible
resemblance of a wicked man's giving up iiis hopes.

For Flrst^ as the soul departeth not from the body
-without the greatest pain, so doth the hope of the
wicked depart. O the pangs that seize upon the soul
of the sinner at death and judgment, when he i«
parting with all his hopeS^l

Secondly, The soul departeth from the body sudden-
ly, in a moment, which hath there delightfully Qon-
tinned so many years ; just so doth the hope of the
wicked depart.

The Saints' Everlasting Rest. 1^7

^h-rd'y^ The soul which th.en departeth, will never
Ceturn to live with the body in ^his world any more ;
and the hope of the wicked, when it dtparteth, taketh
Jin everlasting farewel of his soul. A miracle of re-
surrection shall ag-iiin conjoin the soul and body,
but the?e shall be no such miraculous resurrection
of the damned's iicpe.

Mcthinks it is the most doleful spectacle that thl«
world affords, to see an ungodly person dyin^; his
soul and hopes departing together ! With what a sad
change he appears in another world ! Then if a man
could but speak with that hopeless soul, and ask it,
are you now as confident of salvation as you were wont
to be ( Do you now hope to be saved as soon as the
most godly f O what a sad answer would he return !

O that careless sinners would be awakened to think
of this in time i If thou be one of them, who art
reading these lines, I do here, as a friend, advise thee,
that as thou wouldst not have all thy hopes deceive
thee, when thou hast most netd, thou presently try
them, whether they will prove current at the touch-
atone of the srriptnre ; and if thou find them unsound,
let them go, whatsoever sorrow they cost thee. Rest
not t.ll thou canst give a reason of all thy hopes ; till
thou canst prove, that they are the hopes which ^raccj
and not n-Ature, hath wrought ; that they are 1 round-
ad upon scripture-promises ; that they purify thy
heart ; that they quicken, and not cool thy endea-
vours in godliness ; that the more thou hopest, the less
thou sinnest, and the more painful thou art in follow-
ing on the work, and not grown more loose and care i
less by the increasing of thy hopes ; that thou art wil-
ling to have them tried, and fearful of being deceived ;
that tbey stir up thy desires of enjoying what thou
kopest for, and the deferring thereof as the trouble ©f
Hvy heart.

les The Sabits* Everlasting Rest.

T\v2r€ is a hope which is a singular grace and duty ;
and there is a hope \vliich is a notorious, dangerous
sin : so consequent!]/ there is a despair which is si
grievous sin ; and there is a despair which is abso-
lulely necessary to thy salvation.

I would not have thee to despair of the sufficiency of
the hlood of Christ to save thee, if thou believe, and
heartily obey him : nor of the willin^j^ess of Cod to
pardon and save thee, if thou be such an one : nor yet
absolutely of thy own salvation because while there is
life and time, there is hope of thy conversion, and so
of thy salvation ; nor would I draw thee to despair of
finding Christ, if thou do but heartily seek him : but
this is the despair that I would persuade thee to, as
thou lovest thy soul : that thou despair of ever being
saved, except thou be born again ; or of seeing God,
without holiness ; or escaping perishing-, except thou
suddenly repent ; or of ever havinr^ part in Christ, ex-
cept thou love him above father, mother, or thy own
life ; or of ever truly loving God, or being his ser-
vant, while thou lovest the world, and scrvest it.

These things I would have thee despair of^ and
•Vrhatever else God hath told thee shall never come to
pass. And when thou hast sadly searched into thy
own heart, and findest thyself in any of these cases,
I would have thee despair of ever being saved in that
state thou art in. This kind of despair is one of the
first steps to heaven.

Consider, if a man be quite out of his way. what
must be the first means to bring him in again : Why,
a despair of ever coming to his journey's end in the
way that he is in. If his home be eastward, and he
be going westward, as long as he hopes he is in the
right, he will go on : and as long as lie goes on hoping,
he goes further amiss. Therefore when he meets with
somebody that assures him that he is clean out of l\is

The Saints* EverlasWig JRest. 10«

way, and brings him to despair of coming home ex-
cept he turn back again j then he will return, and
fhen he may hope.

Why sinner, just so it is -with thy soul ; thou act
out of the way to heaven, and in that way thou hast
proceeded maay a year ; yet thou goest on quietly,
and hopest to be saved, because thou art not so bad as
many others. Why, I tell thee, except thou throw
aw^ay these hopes, and see that thou hast all this while
been quite out of the way to heaven ; I say, till tliou
be brought to this, thou wilt never return and be sav-
ed. Who will turn out of his way while he hopes
he is right ? Remember what I say ; till thou feci
God .convincing thee, that the way which thou hast
lived in, v/ill not serve thy turn, and so break dowR
thy former hopes, there is yet no saving work
wrought upon thee, how well soever thou mayest hope
of thyself. Yea, thus much more, if any thing keep
thy soul out of heaven, there is nothing in the Vvorld
likelier to do it, than thy false hopes of being saved;
while thou art out of the way to salvation.

3. Another additional loss, aggravating their loss
cf heaven, is this they shall lose all their carnal mirth ;
they will say to themselves (as Solomon doth),(3/' thtir
laughter^ thou art mad ; and of their mirth^ ivhat dilst
thou ? Eccles. ii. 2. Their pleasant conceits are then
ended, and their merry tales are all told, their mirth
was but as the crackling' of thorns under a pot^ Eccles.
vii. 6. It made a blaze for a while but it was pre-
sently gone, and will return no more. They scorn-
ed to entertain any saddening thoughts : the talk of
death and judgment was irksome to them, because it
damped their mirth : they could not endure to tliink
of their sin or danger, because these thoughts did sad
iheir spirit : they knew not what it was to weep for
sin, or to humble themselves under the mighty hapd

K

no The Suints' Everlasting Rest,

of God : they could laugh away sorrow, and sing
away cares, and drive away these melancholy thoughts :
they thought if they should meditate, and pray, and
mourn as the godly do, their lives would be a con^
tinual misery.

Alas, poor souls ! What a misery then will that
life be, where you shall have nothing but sorrow;
intense, heart-piercing, multiplied sorrow ? When
you shall have neither the joys of the saints, nor your
own former joys ? Do you think there is one merry
heart in hell ? Or one joyful countenance, or jesting
tongue ? You cry now, A little mirth is worth a great
deal ofsorroiv : but surely a little godly sorrow, which
would have ended in eternal joy, liad been .morii
worth than a great deal of your foolish mirth which
will end in sorrow.

4. Another additional loss will be this : they shall
lose all their sensual dehghts ; that which they esteem-
ed their chief good, their heaven, their false god, nmsl
they lose, as well as God himself.

O what a fall will the proud ambitious man have
from the top of his honours ! As his dust and boHes
will not be known from the dust and bones of the
poorest beggars : so neither will his soul be honoured
or favoured any more than theirs. What a number
of the great, noble, and learned, are now shut out
of the presence of ('hrist ! They are shut out of their
well contrived houses, and sumptuous buildings ; their
comely chambers, with costly hangings ; their soft
beds, and easy couches. They shall not Hnd their
gallant walks, their curious gardens, with variety of
beauteous fruits and llowers ; their rich pastures, and
pleasi.nt me'ri/'ov, s, and plentrous harvest, and fiocks
and lierds. Their tables wil! not be so spi'ead and
furnished- nor they so pun dually attended and ob-
served. They have not their variety of dainty fare.

7'he Saints'* Everlasting J^est. Ill

of several courses, to please their £>ppetites to the
full. The rich man there furelh not clcllc'ioasly tvdry
day, neither shall he wear there his purple and fine
linen.

O that sinners would remember this in the m-'
of their jollitVi and say to one another, wc must
shortly reckon for this. Will the remembrance of it
then be comfortable or terrible ? will these delights
accompany us to another world ? How shall we look
each other in the face, if we meet in hell ? Will not
the memorial of them be then our torment ? Come,
as we have sinned together, let us pray together be-
fore we stir, that God would pardon us, and let us
enter into a promise with one another that we will do
thus no more, but will meet together in the worship
of God, and help one another towards heaven, as
oft as we have met for our sinful merriments, in

helping to deceive and destroy each other. This

would be the way to prevent this sorrow, and a course
that would comfort you, when you look back upon it
hereafter.

CHAP. IV.

The Greatness of the torments of the damned
discovered,

HAVING thus shewed you how great their loss
is, who are shut out of rest, and how it will be
aggravated by those additional losses which will ac-
company it, I should next here shew you the great-
ness of those positive sufferings, which will accompany
this loss. But I will not meddle with the quality of
those sufferings, but only shew their greatness in some
few discoveries, lest the careless sinner, while he hears

112 The Saints' EverlaHlng Rest.

of no otiicr punishment but that of loss, should think
he c:m bear that well enough. That there iire. be-
sides the loss of happiness, actual sensible torments
for the damned, is a matter beyond all doubt, and
tliat they will be exceedingly great, may appear by
these arguments following.

1. From the principal author of them, which is
God himself: as it was no less than God whom the
sinners had offended, so it is no less than God that will
punisli them for their offences. He hath prepared
those torments for his enemies. His continued angeP
will still be devouring them. His breath of indigna-
tion will kindle" the flames. His wrath will be an
intolerable burdea to their souls. If it were but a
creature that they had to do with, they might better-
bear it. But wo to him that falls under the stroke*
of the Almighty ! They shall feel to their sorrow,
That it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the '
living God. It were nothing in comparison to this,
if all the world were against them, if the strength
of all the creatures were united in one to inflict their
penalty. What a consuming fire is his wrath I If it
he kindled h'ere^ and that but a little^ how do we wither
before it, as the grass that h cut down before the sun !
How soon doth our strength decay, and turn to weak-
ness, and our beauty to deformity ! The flames do
not so easily run through the dry stubble, as the wrath
of God will feed upon these wretches. Oh, they
that could not bear a prison, or a gibbet, for Christ,
scarce a few scorns, how will they now bear the de-
\ curing fire I

2. The place or state of torment is purposely or-
dained for the glorifying God's justice. As all the
works of God are great and wonderful, so those above
all, which are specially intended for the eminent ad-
vancing of some of his attributes. When he will glo-
rify his power, he makes the worlds. The comely

The 3aints* Everlasting Re»t, 118

•rder of all, and singular creatures, declare his wis-
dom. His providence is shewn, in sustaining all
things and maintaining order, and attending his ex-
cellent ends amongst the confused, perverse, tumultu-
ous agitations of a world of wicked, foolish, self-de-
stroyin^rmiscreants. When a spark of his wrath doth
kindle upon the earth, the whole world, save only
eight persons, are drowned, Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah,
and Zeboim, are burnt with fire from heaven to ashes.
The sea shuts her mouth upon some. The earth doth
open and swallow others. The pestilence destroyeth
them by thousands. The present deplorable state of
the Jews may fully testify this to the world. And
yet the glorifying of the two great attitbutes of mer-
cy and justice, is intended most eminently for the life
to come. As therefore when God will purposely glo-
rify his mercy, he will do it in a way that is now be-
yond the comprehension of the saints that must enjoy
it ; so that the blood of his Son, and the enjoyment
of himself immediately in glory, shall not be thought
too high an honor for them : so also when the time
c©mes that he will purposely manifest his justice, it
shall appear to be indeed the justice of God. The
everlasting flames of hell will not be thought too hot
for the rebellious ; and when they have there burned
through millions of ages, he will not repent him of
the evil which is befallen them. Oh, woe to the soul
that is thus set up for a butt, for the wrath of the Al-
mighty to shoot at ! and for a bush that must burn in
the flames of his jealousy, and never be consumed I

3. Consider who shall be God's executioners of
their torment ; and that is, first, Satan : Secondly,
themselves. First, he that was here so successful ia
drawing them from Christ, will then be the instrument
of their punishment, for yielding to his temptations.
It was a pitiful sight to see the man possessed, that was
btund with chains, and lived among tombs : and thaV
K 2

114 The Saints^ Everlasting Rest,

other that would be cast into the fire and into the wa-
ter; but alas 1 that was nothing to the torment that
Satan puts them to in hell : that is the reward he Avill
give them for all their service : for their rejecting the
commands of God, and forsaking Christ, and neglect-
ing their souls at his persuasion. Ah, if they had
served Christ as faithfully as they did Satan, he would
have given them a better reward. 2. And it is most
just also, that they sbould there be their own torment-
ers, that they may see that their whole destruction is
of themselves ; and they who were wilfully the meri-
torious cause, should also be the efficient in their own
sufferings ; and then who can they complain of but
themselves ?

4. Consider also that their torment will be univer-
sal, not upon one part alone, while the rest are free ;
but as all have joined in the sin, so must all partake of
the torment. The soul, as it was the chief in sinking,
>;hall be the chief in suffering : and as it is of a more
spiritual and excellent nature than bodies are, so will
its torments far exceed bodily sufferings. And as the
joys of the soul far surpass all sensual pleasures, so the
pains of the soul surpass all corporal pains.

And it is >.ot only a soul, but a sinful soul that must
suffer : the g\ii]t i\i:)ich stiil remains upon it, will make
u fit for the wrath of God to work upon; as fire will
])ot burn, except the fuel be combustible ; but if the
wood be dry, how fiercely will it burn then ! The guilt
of their sins will be as tinder to gunpowder to the
damned soul, to make the flames of hell take hold up-
on them with fury.

And as the soul, so also the body must bear its part.
That body that must needs be pleased, whatsoever be-
came of its eternal safety, shall now be paid for its
vinlawful pleasures. That body, which was so care-
fully looked to* so tenderly {•herished-— That body

The Saints' Everlasting Rest. 1^^

which could not endure heat or cold, or an ill smell,
or a loathsome sight : O what must it now endure !
hoYf are its hau<;-hty looks now taken down ! how lit-
tle will those flames regard its comeliness and beauty ',
but as death did not regard it, nor the worms regard
it, but as freely fed upon the face of the proud and
lustful dames, and the heart of the most ambitious
lords and princes, as if they had been but beggars ; so
will their tormentors then as little pity their tender-
ness, or reverence their lordliness. Those- eyes whicfe
were wont to be delighted with curious sights must
then see nothing, but what shall amaze and terrify them;
an angry God above them, and those saints whom
they scorned, enjoying the glory which they have
lost ; and about them will be only devils and damned
souls : ah ! then how sadly will they look back and
say, are all our feasts, our games and revels come to
this I Then those ears which were wont to be delight-
ed with music, slidll hear the shrieks and cries of their
damned companions; children crying out against their
parents, that gave them encouragement and example
in evil ; husbands crying out upon their wives, and
wives upon their husbcinds ; masters and servants cur-
sing each other; ministers and people ; magistrates and
subjects, charging iheir misery upon one another,
for discouraging in duty, conniving at sin, and being
silent or formal when ihey should have plainly told
one another of their misery, and fore-warned them of
their danger. Thus will soul and bod/ be compan-
ions in calamity.

5. And the greater by far will their torments be,
because they shall have no comfort left to mitigate
them. In this life when a minister told them of hell,
or conscience began to trouble their peace, they had
comforts enough at hand to relieve them: their carnal
friends were all ready to comfort them, but now they
have not a word of comfort either for him or them-
selves. Formerly they had their business, their cofn-

116 The Saints^ Everlasting JTesi

o

pa?iv, iu^'i mirth, lo drive away their fears; they
cowid drink away iheir sorrows, or play them away,
or J et:p llieni uway, or at least, time did wear them
awcik , but now all these remedies are vanished. I'hey
htid a hard, a presumptiious linbelievini^ heart, which
was. a widl to duLncl them ag.iinsi troii!iIes of mind ;
but now I heir expeiience hath banis'ied these, und left
them nuked to the An y of tlioie flanics. Yea, for-
merly vS ..tan hitnsv-lf Was their (onifurter, and would
unsay all that the mini- ter said •^liinbtthtui. as hf did
to our first nio'.liei. Ha'h God said, Ye shall not eat ?
Ye shall not surely die. bo doik i-e now : do:h C^od
tell you that you shall he in hell ? it is no such mat-
ter; Ciod is more merciful : he doth but tell you so
to friglit you from sinning- : or if there be hell, what
need you fear it ? are not you chrisiiuns? and bhal) you
not be saved by Christ? was noi his blood shed for
you r Ministers may tell you what they please, they
would make men believe that ihey .shall all be dr.mned
except they will fit themselves to their humour — Thus
as the Spirit of Christ is the c.o^mfo' Ler of the saints,
so Satan is the comforter of the wicked ; for he knows
if he should now disquiet them, they would no h-ng-
gjer serve him ; or if fears or doubts -hould trouble
them, they would bethink themselves of ll.eir danger.
Never was a thief niore careful lest he should awake
the people, when he is robwmj^ tlie house, than Satan
is, not lo awaken a sinner. But wheoMhe sinner is
dead, and he h^th his prey, then he hath done flatter-
ing and comforting tliem. While t!ie sight of sin and
misery miglit have helped to save them, he took all
the pains he could to hide it fiom their eyes ; bui when
it is too late, and the-; e is no hope 1( fi, he will make
them see and feel lo the u most. Oh, wh'.ch way will
the forlorn sinner ther, look for comfort ! Thty that
drew hinuntothe sn^ire and promistd him s&fety,now
forsake hini and arc forsaken ihemsebes. His anci-
ent comforts are taken from him, and the righteous

The Saints' Everlasting Rest, 117

God, whose fore-warning he made light of, will now
make good his word against him to the least tittle.

6. But the great aggravation of this misery, will
be its eternity. That when a thousand millions of
ages are past, their torments are as fresh to begin as
at the first day. If there were any hope of an end, it
would ease them to foresee it ; but when it must be
for ever so, that thought is intolerable : much more
will the misery itself be. They never heartily repent-
ed of their sin, and God will never repent him of
their suffering. They broke the laws of the eternal
God, and therefore shall suffer eternal punishment.
They knew it was an everlasting kingdom which they
refused ; and therefore what wonder if they be ever-
lastingly shut out of it ? It was their immortal souls
that were guilty of the trespass, and therefore must
immortally suffer the pains. What happy men would
they think themselves, if they might have Iain still in
their graves, or continued dust, or suffered no worse
ttan the gnawing of those worms I O that they mi:^ht
but there lie down again I What a mercy now would
it be to die ! And how will they call and cry out for it ?
O death I whither art thou gone ? Now come and
qmX. off this doleful life. O that these pains would
break my heart and end my being ! O tiiat I might
once die at last ! O that I had never had a being ! —
These groans will the thought of eternity wring from
their hearts. They were wont to think the sermon
long, and prayer long ; how long then will tliey think
these endless torments ? What difference is there be-
twixt the length of their pleasures and of their pains ?
The one continucth but a moment, the other endureth
through all eternity. O that sinners would lay this
thought to heart! Remember how time is almost gone.
Thou art standing all this while at the door of eterni-
ty ; and death is waiting to open the door, and put
thee in. Go sleep out but a few more nights, and stir
up and down on earth a few more days, and then thy

J 18 The Stunts'' Lvcrlasting Rest^

nights and days shall end ; thy thoughts, and carcb,
and pleasures, and all shall be devoured by eleniity ;
thou must enter upon the state which shall never be
changed. As the joys of heaven are beyond our con-
ceiving':, so also are the pains of heil. Everlasting tor-
ment is inconceivable torment.

But methinks I perceive the obstinate sinner despe-
rately resolving, If I must be damned^ there is no re-
medy ; rather than I will live so precisely, I will put
it to the venture ; I shall escape as well as the rest of
my neighbours, and we will even bear it as well as
we can. — Alas, poor creature 1 would thou didst but
know what it is that thou dost so boldly venture on :
I dare say thou wouldst sleep this night but very un-
quietly. Wilt thou leave thyself no room for hope ?
Art thou such an implacable enemy to Christ and thy
own soul ? and dost thou think indeed, that thou canst
bear the wrath of (iod, and ^^o away so easily with
these eternal torments ? Yet let me beg this of thee,
that before thou dost so flatly resolve, thou wouldst
lend thine attention to these few questions.

Firsts Who art thou, that thou should st bear the
wrath of (xod ' Art thou a God ; or art tliou a man ?
What is thy strength to undergo so much : Is it not
as the strength of wax or stubble to resist the fire i or
as chaff to the wind ; or as dust before the whirlwind ?
Was he not as stout a man as thyself, who cried to
God, IVllt thov. break a Icof driven to and fro ? And
ivilt thou /nirme the dry stubble ? If thy strength were
as iron, and thy bones as brass, thou couldst not bear.
If thy foundation were as the earth, and thy power as
the heavens, yet shouldst thou perisl; at the breath of
his indignation. How much more when thou art but
a little, creeping, breathing clay, kept a few days
from stinking, and from being eaten with worms, by
the mere support and favour of him wliom thou thus
resistest ?

The S^aints* Everlasting Rest. 119

Seccndly^ If thou be so strong, and thy heart so
stout, why do those small sufterings so dismay thee I
If thou huve but a fit of the gout or stone, what
groans dost thou utter ? The house is filled with thy
complaints. If thou shouldst but lose a leg or an arm,
thou wouldst make a great matter of it. If thou lose
thine estate and fall into poverty and disgrace ; how
heavily wouldst thou bear any one cf these ? And yet
all these laid together, will be one day accounted a
happy state, in comparison of that which is suft'ered
in hell. Let me see thee make as light of convulsive,
gouty, rheumatic pains, when they seize upon thee,
and then the strengtli of thy spirit will appear. Alas,
how many such boasters as thyself have 1 seen made
to stoop and eat their words I And when God hath but
let out a little of his wrath, that Pharaoh, who before
asked, IV/io is the Lord ? hath cried, / have sinned.

Thirdly^ If all this be nothing, go try thy strength
by some corporal torment ; as Bilney before he went
to the stake, would first try his fint-er in the candle :
so do thou : hold thy finger awhile in the fire ard
feel there whether thou canst enchne t! t fire of hell.
Austin mentioned a chaste cliristian woman, whc be-
ing tempted to uncleanncss by a lewd ruffian^ she de-
sired I'Jm for her Scl'.e to l.old his finger one hour in
the fire ; he answered, it is ^ j» unrt^asonabie request :
how much more uriucnGonable is it (.aid she) that I
shouUi inirn in hell for tj)e satisfying your lust ' So
say I to thee ; if it be an intolt^rable thing to suffer
the heat of the fire for a year, or a day, or an hour,
what will it bv. to siiiTtr ten thousand times more for
ever ? What if fh«»u were to suifer Lawrence's death,
to be roasted upon a g^kl-iron ; or to be scraped or
pricked to dc ith, as ( lf»er martyrs were ? 11 ihcu
couldst not endure sucli thm;-S a« these, how wilt thou
endure the eternal flames ?

1 20 The Sanits' EverJasttng Rest,

Fotirthhj^ If thou be so fearless of that eternal mi-
sery, why is the least foretaste of it so terrible ? Didst
thou never feci such a thin.f as a tormenting consci-
ence ? if thou hast not, thou shalt do. Didst thou
never see and spea v with a man that lived in despera-
tion, or in some dei'-ree of these wounds of spirit, that
was near despair ? How uncomfortable w as their con-
ference l How burdensome their lives I Nothing doth
them good which they possess ; the sight of friends,
or house, or goods, which refresheth others, is a trou-
ble to them : they feel no sweetness in meat or drink ;
they are weary of life and fearful of death. \\'hat k
the matter with these men ? If the misery of the damn-
ed itself can be endured, why cannot they more easily
endure these little sparks ?

Fifthly^ Tell me faithfully, what if thou shouldst
but see the devij appear to thee in some terrible shape,
would it not daunt thee ? What if thou shouldst meet
him in thy way home, or he should shew himself to
thee at ni ht in thy bedchamber, would not thy heart
fail thee, and thy hair stand on end ? I could name thee
those that have been as confident as thyself, who, by
such a sight, have been so appalled, that they were in
danger of bein?- driven out of their wits. Or what if
some damned soul, of thy former acquaintance, should
appear to thee, would not this amaze thee i Alas !
what is thine to the torments of hell ? Canst thou not
endiu'e a shadow to appear before thee ? O how wilt
thou endure to live with them for ever, where thou
shalt have no other company but devils and the damn-
ed ; and shalt not only see them, but the tormented
with them, and by them I

Lastly^ Let me ask thee, if the wrath of God be
to be made so light of, why did the Son of God
himse}f make so great a matter of it ? When he had
taken upon him the payment of our debt, and Lore
that punishment we had deserved, it makes him si^'eat

^e Sahits* Buevlastinpr Re&t, %2l

£i

wate? and blood ; it makes the Lord of life fo cfy^
J\fy soul is heavy ^ even to the death. It niaV.es him cry
out upon the cross, My God^ my Gody why hast thou
forsakcni me ? Surely if any one could have borne
these sufferings, it ^vould have been Jesus Christ
He had another measure of strength to bear it than
thou hast.

Wo to poor sinners for their mad security I Do they
think to find that tolerable to them which was so hea-
vy to Christ ? Nay, the Son of God is cast into a bit-
ter ajjony, and bloody sweat, under the curse of the
law only ; and yet the feeble, foolish creature make^
nothing to bear also the curse of the gospel ; the good
Lord bring these men to their right minds by repent-
ance, lest they buy their wit at too dear a rate.

And thus I have shewn you somewhat of their mi-
sery, who miss of this rest prepared for the saints.
And now, reader, I demand thy resolution, what use
thou wilt make of all this ? Shall it all be lost to thee ?
Or wilt thou consider it in good earnest ? Thou hast
cast by many a w^arning of God, wilt thou Ao so by
this also i Take heed what thou dost, and how thou
resolvest. God will not always stand warning and
threatening. The hand of revenge is lifted up ; the
blow is coming, and wo to him on whom it lighteth.
Little thinkest thou how near thou standeth to thy
eternal state, and how near the pit thou art dancini-
in thy jollity. If thy eyes were but opened, as they
will be shortly, thou wouldst see all this that I havi
spoken before thine eyes, without stirring from the
place in which thou standest. Dost thou throw by
the book, and say, it speaks of nothing but hell and
damnation ? Thus thou uscst also to complain of the
minister ; but wouldst thou not have us tell thee of
these things ? Should we be guilty of the bjood of
thy soul, by keeping silent that which God hatfe
•barged us to make known ? Wouldst thou perish la

L

122 The Saints'' Everlasting ResU

case and silence, and also have us to perish with thee,
rather than displease thee, by speaking the truth ? If
thou wilt be j^uilty of such inhuman cruelty, God
forbid we should be guilty of such sottish folly !

There are few preachers so simple, but they know
that this kind of preaching is the ready way to be
hated of their hearers : and the desire of the favour
of men is so natural, that few delight in such a dis-
pleasing way. But I beseech thee consider, are these
things true, or are they not t If they were not true,
I would heartily join with thee against any minister
that should offer to preach them, and to affright poor
people when there is no cause. But if these threat-
enings be the word of God, what a wretch art thou
that v/ouldst not hear it. or consider it. Why, what
is the matter ? If thou be sure that thou art one of
the people of God, this doctrine will be a comfort
to thee : but if thou be yet unregenerate, methinks
thou shouldst be as fearful to hear of heaven as of
hell, except the bare name of heaven or salvation be
sufficient. Sure there is no doctrine concerning hea-
ven in ail the scripture that can give thee any com-
fort, but upon the supposal of thy conversion ; what
comfort is it to thee, to hear that there is a rest remain-
ing to the people of God, except thou be one of them ?
Nay, what more terrible than to read of Christ and sal-
vation for others, when thou must be shut out r There-
fore, except thou wouldst have a minister to preach
u lie, it is all one to thee, for any comfort thou hast
in it, whether he preach of heaven or hell to thee.
His preaching heaven and mercy to thee, can be no-
thing else but to entreat thee to seek them ; but he
can ma e thee no promise of it, but upon condition
of thy obeying the gospel ; and his preaching hell, is
but to persuade thee to avoid it. And is not this
doctrine fit for thee to hear ? Indeed if thou wert
quite past hope of escaping it, then it were in vaia
tci tell thee of hell, but rather let thee take a few mw-

The Saint(P Everlasting Rest, 12o

)ky hours whilst thou mayst ; but as long as thou art
alive, there is hope of thy recovery, and therefore
all means must be used to awake thee from thy le-
thargy.

Oh that some son of thunder, who could speak as
Paul, till the hearers tremble, were nov/ to preach
this doctrine to thee ! Alas I as terrible as you think
I speak, yet it is not the thousandth part of what must
be felt ; for what heart can now conceive, or what
ton;4ue express the pains of those souls that are under
the wrath of God ? Ah, that ever blind sinners should
wilfully bring: themselves to such unspeakable mi-
sery ! You will then be crying to Jesus Christ, Oh
mercy 1 Oh pity I Why, 1 do now in the name of
the Lord Jesus, cry to thee, Oh have mercy, have
pity upon thine own soul ! Shall Ciodpity thee, who
wilk not be entreated to pity thyself? If thy horse see
but a pit before him, thou canst scarcely force him
in ; and wilt thou so obstinately cast thyself into hell,
when the dang-er is foretold thee ? O ivhat can stand
before the Lovely and ivho can abide tke fierceness of hia
anger ? Methinks thou shouldst need no more v/ords,
but presently cast away thy sins, and deliver up thy-
self to Christ.v Resolve on it immediately, and let it
be done, that I may see thy face in rest among the
saints. The Lord persuade thy heart to it without
longer delay : but if thou be hardened unto death,
and there be no remedy, yet do not say another day,
but that thou wast faithfully warned, and that thou
hadst a friend that would fain have prevented thy
damnation.

124 Tke Sainu' L'ocrlcniUng Rest:

CHAP. V.

Ihc second use repreheiiding the goieral neglect
of this Rest,, and exciting to diligence in
SL' eking it.

I COME now to the second use. If there be so
o<jrtriin and glorious a rest, why is there no more seek-
ing after it '( One would think that a man that did
but once hear of such unspeakable trlory, and did be-
lieve what he heareth to be true, should be transported
with desire after it, should almost forget to eat or
drink, and mind and care for nothin',;; else, and speak
of and enquire after nothin.i^;, but how to get this trea-*
sure ! And yet people who he?r it daily, and profess
to believe it, do as little mind it, or care, or labour
for it, as if they had never heard of any such thing,,
or did not believe one word that they hear.

I shall apply this reproof more particularly to four
sorts of men : First, the worldly-minded, who is so
taken up in seeking the things below, that he hath
neither heart nor time to seek this rest.

May I not well say to these men, as Paul to the
Galatians in another case. Foolish sinners I ivho hath
hetvilched you ? Is it not for nothing that divines us5e
to call the world a witch ; for as in witch-craft, men's
lives, senses, goods or cattle are destroyed by a strange,
secret, unseen power of the devil, of which a man can
give no natural reason ; so here, men will destroy their
own souls, in a way quite against then- own know-
ledge. Would not a man wonder, that is in his right
senses, to see what riding and running, what scramb-
ling and catching there is for a thing of nought, while
eternal rest lies by neglected I What contriving and car-
ing, what fighting and bloodshed, to get a step higgler

The Saints'^ Ever lasing Rest, VZ6

in the world than their brethren, while they neglect the
kinijly dignity of tiie saints 1 What insatiable pursuit
otfteshly pleasures, whilst they look upon the praises of
God, which is the joy of angels, as a burden ! What
unwearied diligence is there in raising their posterity,
enlarging their possessions, gathering a little silver or
gold 1 Yea, perhaps for a poor living from hand to
mouth, while in the mean time their judgment is
drawing near; and yet how it shall go with them
then, or how they shall live eternally, did never puv
them to one hour's sober consideration.

What rising up early, sitti: ^- up late, labouring
and caring year after year, to maintain themselves and
children in credit till they die ; but what shall follow
after, that they never think on ; and yet these men
cry to us, may not a man be saved without so much
ado ? How early do they rouse up their servants to
their labour ? [Up, come away to work, wc have this
to do, and tliat to do ;] but how seldom do they call
them L^p, you have your soul to look to, you have
everlasting life to provide for ; up to prayer, to the
reading of the scripture.]

What a gadding up and down the world is hercj
like a company of ants upon a hillock, taking inces-
sant pa^ns t^ gather a treasure, which death will spurn
abroad ; as if it were such an excellent thing to die
in the midst of wealth and honors ! Or as if it would
be such a comfort to a man in another world, to think
that he was a lord, or a knight, or a gentleman, or a
rich man on earth ! What hath this world done for
its lovers and friends, that it is so eagerly followed,
and painfully sought after, while Ciirisi and heaven
stand by and few regard them ? Or what will the
world do for them for the time to come ? The com
mon entrance into it is through anguish and sorrow-
The passage through it is with continual Qare and la,

L 2

1*26 The Saints* Everlasting Best,

hour. The passage out of it is with the greatest sharp-
ness and sadness of all. \V irat then doth cause men so
n'Aich to follow and affect it ? O unreasonable bewitch-
ed men ? Will mirth and pleasure slick close to you ?
Will gold and wordly glory prove fast friends to you
in the time of your greatest need ? Will they Jiear your
cries in the day of your calamity ? If a man should
say to you, as Elias did to Baal's priests, cry aloud :
Oh riches, or honor, now help us ! Will they either
answer or relieve you ? Will they go along with you
to another world, and bribe the judge, and bring you
off clear ; or purchase you a room among the blessed?
Why then did so rich a man want a drop of water to
cool his tongue ? Or are the sweet morsels of present
delight and honour of more worth than eternal rest?
and Will they recompcnce the loss of that enduring
treasure ? Can there be the least hope of any of these?
What then is the matter ? Is it only a room for our
dead bodies that we are so much beh.olden to the world
for ? Why this is the last and longest courtesy that we
shall receive from it. But we sluill have this whether
we serve it or no ; and even that homely dustly dwel-
ling it will not afford us always neither : it shall pos-
sess our dust but till the resurrection. How then doth
the world deserve so welJ at men's hands, that they
should part vvith Christ and their salvation to be its
followers ? Ah vile deceitful world ! how oft have we
heard thy faithfullest servants at last complaining, Oh
the world hath deceived me, and undone me I And yet
succeeding sinners will take no warning.

So this is the first sortofneglecters of heaven which
fall under this reproof.

2. The second sort here to be 'reproved, are the
profane, ungodly presumptuous multitude, who Avill
not be persuaded to be at so much pains for salvation,
as to perform the common outward duties of religion,
Yea, though they are convinced that these duties are

Tht Ija'nitii' liver lustinir Rtst, 127

commaiiclcd, yet vi!l they not be brought to the conv
nion practice of them. If ilicy liavc tiit-gobpel preach-
ed in the town wneic they dvvcll, it may be they v.'ill
give the hearinfv to it one part of the d<iy, and stay nt
lioine the other ; oi if th.c muster come to tlie congrc-
f^ation, yet part of his family n)iist stay at home. If
they want the plain ar.d powerful preachinj^ of the ;_;cs-
pel, how few are there in a whole town vvlio will trc-
vel a mile or two to hear abroad, tlioiif^h they will ro
many miles to the market f^r their bodies.

And thoup;Ii tliey know the scripture in the law of
God, by which they must be acciuiited or condemned
in judijment ; and that it is the property of every
blessed man to delii^hl in this law, and to meditate in
it day and ni.L^ht, yet will tliey not be at the pains to
read a chapter once a day, nor to acquaint their fami-
lies with this docirir.e of salvation. But if they carry
a bible to churcii, and let it lie by them all the Meek,
this is the most use that they nuikeof it. And thoui^h
th«y are commanded to firay vjithout ccaaing ; and to
pray alvoays and not to faint ; to continue in prayer^ and
luatch in the -same nvith thanksgiving ; yet will they not
pray constantly with their families, or in secret. ^ Yoii
may hear in their houses two oaths for one prayer.
Or if they do any thing this way, it is usually hut
a running over a few formal words which they have
got on their tongue's end, as if they came on purpose
to make a jest of prayer, and to mock God and their
own souls.

Alass ! he that only reads in a book that he is mi-
serable, and what his soul stLmds in need of, but never
felt himself miserable, or felt his several wants, no
%vonder if he must also fetch his prayer from his book
only, or at farthest from the strength of his memorv.
Solomon's request to Ciod was, that •' what prayer or
supplication soever should be made by any man, or by
all the people, when every man shall know his own sore,

123 T/j6' Saints^ Everlastin;^ Rest,

6.

andhisov.Mi^ricf.and shall spread forth his hands before
God, that God would then hear and forgive," Z Chron.
vi. 2 J, 30. If these men did thus know and feel
every man the sore, and the grief of his own soul, \vc
should neither need so much to urge them to prayer,
nor to teach them how to perform it. Whereas now
they invite God to be backward in giving, by their
backwardness in asking ; and to be weary ofreUeving-
them by their own being weary of begging ; and to
be seldom and short in his favors, as they are in their
prayers ; and to give tliem but common and outward
favors, as they put up but common and outside re-
Cjuests. Yea, their cold and heartless prayers invite
God to a flat denial : for among men it is taken for
granted, that he who asks but slightly and seldom,
cares not much for what he asks- Do not these men
judge tiiemsejves unworthy of heaven who think it
not worth their more constant and earnest reqiiesls ?
If it be not worth asking for, it is worth nothing.
And yet if one should go from house to house, through
town ynd parish, and enquire at evevy house as you
go, whether they do, moining and evening, call their
family together, and earnestly seek the Loid in pray-
er ; how few would you find that constantly and con-
scientiously practise his duty? If every door were
marked where they do not thus call upon the name of
God, that his wrath might be poured out upon that
family, our towns would be as places overthrown by
the plague, the people being dead within, and the
mark of judgment without. I fear where one house
would escape, ten would be marked out for death ;
then they might teach their doors to pray, Lord have
mercy upon un ; because the people would not pray
themselves. But especially if you could see what men
do in their secret chambers, how few should you find
in a whole town that spend one quarter of an ^our,
morning and night, in earnest supplication to God
for their souls ? Oh how little do these men set by
eternal rest !

The Sanits' Everlasting Reiit. 129

Thus do they slothfiilly neglect all endeavours for
their o\vn welfare, except some public duty in the
Gon;:rregation, winch custom or credit doth engage
them to. Persuade them to read crood books, and
they will not be at so much pains. Persuade them to
learn the f^rounds of religion in some catechism, and
they think it toilsome slavery, fit for school-boys. Per-
su^ide them to sanctify the Lord's-day, and to spend
it wholly in hearing the word, and repealing it with
their families, and prayer and meditation, and to for-
bear all tlieir Avorldly thouglits and speeches , and
what a tedious life do they take this to be ; and how
long may you preach to them, before they will ije
broui^ht to it ? As if they thought heaven were not
worth all this ado.

0. The third sort that fall under this reproof, are
those self-cozening, formal, lazy professors of reli-
gion, who will be brought to any outward duty, but
to their inward work they will never be persuaded. —
They will preach, or hear, or read, or tal ; of heaven,
or pray customarily or constantly in their families,
and take pnrt with the persons and causes that are
good ; and desire to be esteemed among the godiy,
but you can never bring them to the more spiritual
duties ; as to be constant and iervent in secret prayer ;
to be conscientious in the duty of self-examination, to
be constant in meditation, to be heavenly-minded, to
watcli constantly over their heart, and v/ordsand v/ays,
to deny tlieir bodily senses and tlieir delight-i, to mor-
tify the llesh, and not make pro\ision for it, to fullil
its lus's ; to love and heartily forgive an enemy, and
to prefer their brethren heartily before themselves.
The outside hypocrites will nevc-r be persuaded to any
of these. Above all other, two .sorts there are ol

iicse hypocrites.

1 . The superficial, opinionative hypocrite.

t30 The Saints^ Everlasting Rest,

2. The woildJy hypocrite.

The former cntcrlaineth the doctrine of the gospel
yf\\\\ joy ; but it is only in the surface of iiis soul,
he never gives the seed any depth of earth. He
uhauieth his opinion, alul thereupon en ageth for
religion, as the rij»ht way, but it never melted and
new-moulded hi-* heart, nor set up Christ there in full
power and authority : as his religion is l)Ut opinion,
so is his study and conference, and chief business all
about oi)inion. He is usually an ignorant, proud,
bold encjuii cr and babbler aljout controversies, rather
than an humble embracer of the known truth, with
love and subjeotioii : you may conjecture by his bold
and forward tongue, and conceitedncss in his own
opinions, and slighting tlie judgments and persons of
others, and seldom talking of the great tliin- s of
Christ v.'ith seriousness and humility — that his religion
dwelleth in the brain, and not in his heart ; where
the wind of temptation assaults him, he easily yield-
cth, and it carrieth him away as a feather, because his
heart is empty, and not balanced and established with-
Christ and grace. If this man's judgment lead him in
the ceremonious way, then doth he employ his chief
zeal for cerem.onies. If his judgment be against ce-
remonies, then his strongest zeal is employed in study-
ing, talking, disputin •; against them, and censuring
the users of thtm. For, not having the essentials of
Christianity, he hath only the mint and cummin, the
smaller matters of the iaw, to lay out his zeal upon.
You shall never bear any humble and hearty bewail-
ings of his soul's imperfections, or any heart-bleeding
acknowkdccments of his unkindnesses toChrist,of 'uiy
palnungs and longin.cs auer him, from this man ', but
that he is of Luch a judgment, or such a religion, or
society, or a member of such a church : herein doth
he gatlier his greatest comforts : but the inward
and spiritual labours of a christian he will not be
broucriit to

The Sa'mts' Everlasting Rest. 131

The like may be said of the worlc^Iy hypocr->,
who ehoaketh the doctrine of the frcr,rr ] •',v\v\ \\.\
thorns of worldly cares and desires. J ■^?. jridgracnC U
convinced that he-: must be rellpl" • or he cTfiKot be
saved : and therefore he re.i:!>. ■■ (ffaj-s ;iritl piays,
and forsakes his forn^er co;»«f^^i/ ^/M c/»>::* .c;, ; but
because his belief of *' : ^cDtci-^octjhe. is ])iit v.aver-
inj^ and shallow, he t^cftolvd U> k^'cp liis hold of pre-
sent thin $j;s ; and ye* io be ;v{'0''eiis, that f.o he may
have heaven, when r - qxw keep the world no loi:g-er.
This man's judgme!.i Yi%%y -^ay, God is llie chief good,
but his heart and atiertions never said so, but looked
upon God as to be toier.ited rather than the flames of
hell, but not desired before the felicity on earth. In
a word, the world hath more of his affections than
God, and therefore is his g-od. This he might easily
know and feel, if he would jud;:e impartially, and
were but faithful to himself. And though this man
does not gad after novelties in religion^ as the former,
yet will he set his sails to tlie Mind of worldly advan-
tage. And as a man who&e spirits are seized on by
some pestilential malignity, is feeble and faint, and
heartless in all that he does ; so this man's spirits be-
ing possessed by the plague of this malignant, world-
ly disposition, how faint is he in secret prayer ! How
superficial in examination and meditation ? How fee-
ble in heart-watchings, and humbling, mortifying en-
deavours ! How nothing at all in loving and Avalking
with God, rejoicing in him, or desiring him ! So
that both these, any many other sorts of lazy hypo-
crites there are, who, though they will trudge on with
you in the easy outside of religion, yet will never be
at the pains of inward and spiritual duti( s.

A. And even good men themselves deserve this re-
proof for being too la^y seekers of everlasting rest.
Alas, what a disproportion is there between our light
and our heat t our professions arid prosecution ! Who
makes that haste, as if it were for heaven ? How still

132 The Saints'' Everlasting Rent.

we stand ! How idly we -work I How we tallc, ftfirf
jest, and trifle away our time ! I low deceitfully we
do the work of God : How we hear, as if we heard
not ; ami pray, as if we prayed not ; and confer, and
uxaminc, and meditate, and reprove sin, as if we did
it not ; and use the ordinances, as if we used them
Hot ; and enjoy Christ, as if v.e enjoyed him not ; as
if we liad learned to use the things of heaven, as the
•apostle teacheth us to use the work! ! Who would think
thai stood by us, and heard us pray in private or pub-
lic, that we were praying; for no less than everlasting
pjlory ? Should heaven be sought no nioie earnestly
than thus ? Methin!'s we are none of us all in ;,ood
sadness for our souls. We do but dally with the work
of God, and play with Christ, as children play with
their meat when they should cat it ; we hanc^ upon or-
dinances from day to day, but we stir not ourselves te
c-k the Lord.

I sec a rreat many very constant in hearing and
prayini^, but they do not hear and pray as if it were
for their lives. Oh, what a frozen stupidity hath be-
numbed us ? The plague of Lot's wife is upon us, as
if we were changed into lifeless and immoveable pil-
lars : we are dying, and we know it, and yet wc stir
not ? we are at the door of eternal happiness or mi-
sery, and yet we perceive it not : death knocks, and
we hear it not : Christ calls and knocks, and we hear
Dot : God cries to us, to-duij if yon wiil hear mxj voice^
harden not ijov.r hearts. Work ivhile it in vft daij, for
r'/ie night comdh nvhcn none can ivork. Now ply your
business, nov/ labour for your lives ; now lay out all
your strength. Now or never ; and yet we stir no more
than if we were half asleep. What haste do death and
jud .jment make ? How fust do tlicy come on ! They
are almost at us, and yet what little haste make we !
The spur of God is in our side, we bleed, we groan,
and yet we do not mend our pace. Loid, what a
scDseless, sottish, earthly, heliish thing is a hard heart!

The Saints' Everlasting Rest, 133

That we will not go roundly and cheerfully toward
heaven without all this ado ? No, nor with it neither ?
Where is the man that is serious in his Christianity 1
Methinks men every where ma e but a trifle of their
eternal state. They look after it but a little by the
by ; they do not make it the task and business of their
lives.

To be pluin with you, I think nothing undoes men
so much as complimentinf^ and jesting in religion.
Oh, if I were not sick myself of the same disease,
with what tears would I mix this ink ; and with what
groans should I express these sad complaints ; and with
what heart's grief should I mourn over this universal
deadness l Do the ma i;istrates among us seriously per-
form their portion of the work ? are they zealous for
God ? do they build up his house ? are they tender
of his honour ? do they second the word ? encourage
the good relieve the. oppressed : compassionate the
di'^ressed ? and fly at the face of sin and sinners, as
being the disturbers of our peace, and the only cause
of all our miseries ? do they study how to do the ut-
most they can for God ? to improve their power and
parts, and wealth and honour, and all their interest
for the greatest advantage to the kingdom <s)f Christ,
as men that must shortly give an account of their
stewardship ( or do they build their own houses, and
■ seek their advancements, and contest for their ovv'n ho-
hours, and do no more for Christ than needs they must,
or than lies u\ their way, or than is put by others into
their hands, or than stands with the pleasing of their
friends, or with their worldly interest ?

And how thin are those mhiisters that are serious in
their work I Nay. how miglitily do the very best fail
in this ! Do we cry out of men's disobedience to the
gospel in the evidence and power of the Spirit, and
deal with sin, as that which is the fire in our towns
and houses, and by force pull men out of this fire ?

31

:.- 'le Saints* EvcHa^ttn^ J^cst.

Do wc persuade our people, as those that know the
tcrjoi ^ c f ihc IajviI should do ? Do wc press Christ,
aii> ; tncr-lion. and faith, and hoHntss, as men that
bciioc indeed^ that vilhout these thty shall never
have life ? Do our lK)wels yeim over the ignorant, and
the cureless, and tlie obsiiiiaic mullitiide, as men that
believe their own d'Klrine ^\ hen we l(x)k ihem in
th'. f . ( t do our hearts melt over them, lest we should
nc\ c 1 •- e lluir faces in ixst ? Do we as Pail, tell them
vvttTiin;;, of their fleshly and earthly disposition? And
tcac li ilum pulilicly, and from house to house, nig;ht
and day with tears ? And do we entreat them, as if it
were indeed for their lives ? that when we speak of
the joys and miseries of another voj Id, our people
may see us affected accordinjj^iy, and jxrccivc that we
mean as we speak ? Ur rather, do we not study words ?
As if a minister's business were but to tell them a
smooth tale of an hour lonj^, and so look no more af-
ler them till the next sermon.

Oh the formal, frozen, lifeless sermons a. iu' ii wc
daily hear preached upon the most weij^hty, j)ieicing
subjects in the world ! How ji^ently do we handle those
sins, which will handle so cruelly our people's souls !
And how tenderly do we deal with their caickss hearts,
not speaking to them as men that must be a\Nakened
or damned ! Wc tell them of heaven and hell in such
a sleepy tone, ai»d slight way, as if we were but act-
ing a part in a ])lay ; mj that we usually preach our
peoj)le asleep v\ith those subjects, which one would
think should rather endanger the driving some beside
themselves.

In a word, our want of seriousness about the things
of heaven, doth charm the souls of men into fornud-
ity, and hath brought them to this tustomar)', care-
less hcarinj.-:, wlieh vmdocs them. 'J he Lord pardon
the great sin of the ministry in 0 '^ ^l-"' ->•. ^ '^'i i^i pj.r-
ticulai', my own.

The Saints^ E'-Jsrlasthiz Rest. 1oi>

And are the people any more serious than magis-
trates and ministers ? How can >! be expected r Read-
er, Iqok but to thyself, and resolve the question. Ask
conscience, and sufTer it to tell thee truly. Hast thou
set thine eternal rest before thine eyes as the great bu-
siness, which thou hast to do in this world ? Hast thou
studied, and cared, and watched, and laboured with
all thy might, lest any should take thy crown from
thee ? Hast thou made haste, lest thou shouldst come
too late, and die before the work be done ? Hath thy
heart been set upon it, and thy desires and thoughts
run out this way ? Hast thou pressed on throu^^h
crowds of opposition toiuards tht- mark^ for the prize
of the high calling (f God in Chriat Jesus ? When you
have set your hand to the work of God, have you
done it with all your might ? Can conscience witness
your secret cries, and groans, and tears ? Can your
families witness that you have taught them the fear
of the Lord, and warned them all with earnestness
and unweariedness to remember God and their souls ?
Or that you have done but as much for them, as that
damned glutton v/ould have had Lazarus do for his
brethren on earth, to warn them that they come not
to that place of torment ? Can your ministers v/itness
that they have heard you cry out, What shall nve do to
be saved? And that you have followed them with
complaints against your corruptions, and with earnest
enquiries after the Lord ? Can your neighbours abcut
you witness, that you are still learning of them that
are able to instruct you ? And that you plainly and
roundly reprove the imgodly, and take pains for the
saving of your brethren's souls? Let all these witnesses
judge this day betv/een God and you, whether you
are in good earnest about eternal rest. ,

But if yet you cannot discern your neglects, look
but to yourselves ; wiihin you, without you, to the
work you have done : you can tell by his work whe-
ther your servant hath loitered, thoiigh you did not

136 The Saints' Everlasting Rest,

see him ; so you may by yourselves. Is your love to
Christ, your failh, your zeal, and otiicr i';races, strong
or weak ? What are your joys ? What is your assur-
ance ? Is all right and strong, and in order within
you ? Are you ready to die, if this should be the
day ? Do the souls among whom you have conversed,
bless you ? Why, judge by this, and it will quickly
;tppcar whether you have been labourers or loiterers.

CHAP. VI.

An Exhortatien to Seriousness in seeking Rest,

I HOPE, reader, by this time thou art somewhat
sensible, what a desperate thing it is to trifle about
eternal rest ; and how deeply thou hast been guilty
of this thyself. And I hope also, that thou darest not
]iow suffer this conviction to die ; but art resolved
to be another man for the time to come : What say-
est tliou ? Is this thy resolution ? If thou wert sick
of some desperate disease, and the physician should
tell thee, if you will observe but one thing, I doubt
not to cure you : wouldst thou not obsen H ? Why,
if thou wilt observe but this one thing fe 'hy soul,
I make no doubt of thy salvation ; if thoii lit now
but shake off thy slotli and put to all thy ength,
and be a downright christian, I know not /hat can
hinder thy happiness. As far as thou art ^ ,ne from
God, if thou now return and seek him Avith thy whole
heart, no doubt but thou shalt find him. As unkind-
ly, as thou hast dealt with Jesus Christ, if thou
didst hut feel thyself sick and dead, and seek him
heartily, and apply thyself in good 'earnest to the obe-
dience of liis laws, thy salvation were as sure as if thou
hadst it already : but as full as the satisfaction of Christ
is, as free as the promise is, as large as the mercy of

The Saints' Everlasting ^tsU 13?

God is ; yet if thou do but look on these, and talk
of them, when thou shouldbt greedily entertr/in them,
thou wilt be never the better for them ; und if thou
shouldst loiter when thou shouldst labour, thou wilt
lose the croun. O fall to work then speedily, and se-
riously, and bless God that thou hast yet time to do it ;
and though that which is past cannot be recalled, yet
redeem the time now by doubling thy diligence.

And because thou shalt see I urge thee not without
cause, I will here adjoin a multitude of considera-
tions to move thee : their intent and use is, to drive
thee from delayin^-, and from loitering in seeking
rest. Whoever thou art therefore, I entrea.t thte to
rouse up thy spirit, and give me awhile thy atten-
tion, and (as Moses said to the people) Set tlnj heart to
all the words thai I ttatify to thee thh day : f>r it is not
a vain thhig^ but it is for thy life. Weigh what I here
write, with the jud:.^,ment of a man ; and the Lord
open thy heart, and fasten his counsel effectually
upon thee.

1. Consider our affections and actions should be
answerable to the greatness of the ends to which they
are intended, i^ow the ends of a christian's desires
and endeavours are so great, that no human under-
standing on earth can comprehend them ; whether you
respect their proper excellency, their exccv^ding im-
portance, or their absolute necessity.

These ends are, the glorifying of God, the salva-r
tion of our own and other men's souls, in escaping the>
torments of hell and possessing'the glory of heaven.'
And can a man be too much affected 'with things of-
such moment? Can he desire them too earnestly, or
love them too violently, or labour for them too dili-
gently ? When we know that if our prayers prevail
not, and our labour succeeds not, we are undone for
M 2

138 The SalntiP Everlasting Rest,

ever, I thin'; it concerns us to seek and labour to the
puri)ose. When it is put to the question, whether we
shall live for ever in heaven or in hell ? and the ques-
tion must be resolved upon our obeying the gospel, or
lisobeying it upon the painfulness or the slothfulness
of Gur present endeavours ; I think it is time for us
to bestir ourselves, and to leave our trifling and com-
plimenting with God.

2. Consider, our diligence should be answerable to
'he greatnesi of the work which we have to do, as
Avell as to the ends of it.

Now, the works of a christian here are very many,
nd very great : the soul must be renewed ; many and
reat corruptions mortified ; custom, temptations and
vorldly interest must be conquered ; flesh must be
mastered ; life and friends, and credit, and all must be
flighted ; conscience must be upon good grounds qui-
eted ; assurance of pardon and salvation must be at-
tained. And though it is God that must give us
these, and that freely, without our own merits ; yet
• ill he not give them without our earnest seeking and
•ubour.

Besides, there is a deal of knowledge to be got, for
the guiding ourselves, for defending the truth, for the
directing of others, and a deal of skill for the right
managinir of our parts : many ordinances are to be
r.sed, and duties to be performed, ordinary and ex-
traordinary ; every age, and year, and day, doth re-
quire fresh succession of duty ; every place we come
in, every person we have to deal with, every change
of our condition, doth still require the renewing our
ibour, and bringeth duty along with it : wives,
Cjiildren, servants, neighbours, friends, enemies, all
of them call for duty from us : and all this of great
M-nportance too ; so that for the most, if we miscarry
.i\ it, it would prove our undoing.

The Saints* Everlasting Rest. 139

Judcce then yourselves, whether men that have so
mucli business lying upon tbeir hands should not be-
stir them ? And whether it be their wisdom either to
delay, or to loiter ?

3. Consider, our diligence should be quickened be-
cause of the shortness and uncertainty of the time al-
lotted us for the performing of all this work, and the
many and great impediments which we meet with, —
Yet a feAV days^ and we shall be here no more. Time
passeth on : many diseases are ready to rFsiu.lt us ; we
that now are preachin;; and hearin;.^ and lal ing, and
walking, must very shortly be earned, and laid in the
dust, and there left to the worms in darkness and cor-
ruption ; we are almost there already ; it is but a few
days, or months, or years, and what is that when
once they are past We know not whether we shall
have another sernion, or sabbath, or hour. How then
should those bestir them for their everlasting rest, who
know they have so short a space for so great a work ?
Besides, every step in the way hath its difficulties : t/ie
gate is strait^ and the nvay narrow : the righteous
themscliies are scarcely saved. Scandals and discou-
ra:-rements will be still cast before us; and can all these
be overcome by slothful endeavours ?

4. Moreover, our diligence should be answerable to
the diligence of our enemies in seekin- our destruc-
tion. For if we sit still while they are plottin? and la-
bouring ; or if we be lazy in our defence, while they
are diligent in assaulting us, you may easily conceive
how we are likely to speed. How diligent is Satan in
all kinds of temptations ! Therefore, be sober and vigi-
lunty because your adversary^ the devil^ as a roaring
lion walketh about ^ seeking rjhom he may devour. How
diligent are all the ministers of Satan ! False teach-
ers, scorners at godliness, malicious persecutors all
unweaiied ; and our inward corruption the most busy
and diligent of Jill : whutever vre are about, it is still

ii-0 The Saints^ Everlast'mg Rest,

resisting us ; depravin.5 our duties, perverting our
thoughts, dulhng our affections to good, exciting
them to evil : and will a feeble resistance serve our
turn ? Should wc* not be more active for our own pre-
servation, than our enemies for our ruin ?

5. Our affections and endeavours should bear some
proportion with the talents we have received, and
means wc have enjoyed.

It may well be expected that a horseman should go
faster than a footman : and he that halh a swift horse,
faster than he that hath a slow one. INIore work will
be expected from a sound man, than from the fc,ick ;
anri from a man at age, than from a child ; and to
whom men commit much, from them they will ex-
pect the more.

Now the talents which we have received are many
and Q:reat : the means which we have enjoyed are ve-
ry many, and very precious. Wliat people breathing
on earth, have had plainer instructions, or more forci-
ble persuasions, or constant admonitions, in season and
out of season ? Sermons, till we have been weary of
them : and sabbaths, till we profaned them ? Excel-
lent boo'-'-S in such plenty, that we know not which
to reail ! What people have had God so near them as
we have had ? Or have seen Christ, as it were, cruci-
fied before their eyes as we have done ? What people
have had heaven and hell, as it were, opened unto
them, as we ? Scarce a day wherein we have not had
<?ome spur to put us on. What speed then should such
a people make for heaven ? How should they fly that
are thus winged ? And how swiftly should they sail
that have wind and tide to help them ? Believe it,
brethren, (Jod 'ooks for more from this country than
from most nations in the world ; and for miore from
you that enjoy thi.^se h;dps, than from the dark un-
taught congregations of the land. A sm&ll me^fure

The Saints'* Everlasting Rest. 141

of grace beseems not such a people ; nor ^vill an ordi-
nary diligence in the work of God, excuse them I

6. The vigour of our affections and actions should
be answerable to the great cost bcst-oncd upon us, and
to the deep engaging mercies which we have receiv-
ed from God. Surely we owe more service to cur
master, from whom we have our maintenance, than
we do to a stranger, to whom we were never be-
liolden.

O the cost that God hath been at for our sakes !
The riches of sea and land, of heaven and earth hath
he poured out unto us. All our lives have been filled
up with mercies ; we cannot look back upon one hour
of it, or passage in it, but we may behold mercy. —
We feed upon mercy, we wear mercy upon our backs,
we tread upon mercy ; mercy within us, mercy with-
out us for this life, and for that to come. O the rare
deliverances that we have partaken of, both national
and personal 1 How oft, how seasonably, how fully
have our prayers been heard, and our fears removed I
What large catalogues of particular mercies can every
christian rehearse i To ofier to number them would be
as endless a task, as to number the stars, or the sands
of the shore.

If there be any difference betwixt hell (where we
should have been) and earth, (where we now are) yea,
or heaven, (which is offered to us) then certainly we
have received mercy : yea if the blood of th^ Son of
God be mercy, then are we engaged to God by mer-
cy ; for so mucli did it cost him to recover us to him-
self. And should a people of such deep engagements
be lazy in their returns ? Shall God think nothing
too much nor too good for us ; and shall we think all
too mucli that we do for him ? Thou that art an ob-
serving sensible man, who knowest how much thou
art beholden to God, I appeal to thee, is not a

I

142 The Saints' Everlasting Rest,

loitering performance of a few heartless duties, an
unworthy requital of such admirable kindness ? For
my own part, when I compare my slow and unprofit-
able life, with the frequent and wonderful mercies re-
ceived, it shames me, it silenccth me, and leaves me
inexcusable.

7. Consider, all the relations which we stand in
loward God, call upon us for our utmost diligence. —
Should not the pot be wholly at the service of the
potter, and the creature at the service of his Creator ?
Are we his children, and do we not owe him our
most tender affections, and dutiful obedience i Are
we the spouse of Christ, and do we not owe him oui
observance, and our love ? If he be our father, where
is his honour ? and if he be our master, where is his
fear ? We call him Lord and Master, and we do well :
but if our mdustry be not answerable to our relations,
^ve condemn ourselves in saying, we are his children,
or his servants. How will the hard labour and daily
toil that servants undergo to please their masters,
judge and condemn those men who will not labour so
hard for their great master ? Surely there is none have
a mo e honourable master than we, nor can expect
such fruit of their labours.

8. How close should they ply their work, who
have such attendants as we have ! All the world are our
servants, that we may be the servants of God. The
sun. and moon, and stars, attend us with their light
and influence : the earth, with all its furniture, is at
our service ; how many thousand plants, and flowers,
and fruits, and birds, and beasts, do all attend us (
The sea with its inhabitants, the air, the wind, the
frost and snow, the heat and fire, the clouds and rain,
all wait upon us while we do our work : yea, the an-
gels arc miaUtering sfiirits for us. And is it not an in-
tolemblc crime for us to trifle, while all these are em-
ployed to assist us ? Nay more ; the patience of God

'i.'^he Saints' Everlasting Rest, 143

doth wait upon us : The Lord Jesus Christ waiteth,
in the offers of his blood : the holy Spirit waiteth,
in striving with our backward hearts : besides,
all his servants, the ministers of his gospel, who stu-
dy and wait, and preach and wait, and pray and wait
upon careless sinners : and shall angels and men, yea
the Lord himself, stand by and look on, while thou
dost nothing ?

O christians, I beseech you, whenever you are on
your knees in prayer, or reproving the transgressors, or
exhorting the obstinate, or upon any duly do but re-
member what attendants you have for this work : and
then judge how it behoves you to perform it.

9. How forward and painful should we be in that
wor'-^:, where we are sure we can never do enough ? If
there were any danger in over doing, then it might
well cause men to moderate their endeavours : but we
know, that if lue could do all-, TJe u^ere but unjirojitable
servants ; much more when we fail in all.

It is true- a man may possibly preach too much, or
hear too much, (thou^^h 1 have known few that did
so) but yet no man can obey or serve God too much :
one duty may be said to be too long, when it shuts out
another ; and tlien it ceaseth indeed to be a duty. And
all superstition, or worship of our own devising, may
be called a righteousness over much : yet as long as
you keep your service to the rule of the word, you
never need to fear being righteous over much : for else
we should reproach the Lord and Lawgiver of the
church, as if he commanded us to do too much.

If the world were not mad with malice, they could
never be so blind in this point as they are to think
that diligence for Christ, is folly and singularity : and
that they who set themselves wholly to seek eternal life,
are but precise Puritans ! The time is near, when they

144 The Saintii* Everlasting Rest,

will easily confess, that God could not be loved or-
sened too much, and that no man can be too busy to
save his soul : for the Avoiid you may easily tlo too
much, but herein (in God's way) you cannot.

10. Consider, they that trifle in the way to heaven^
lose all their labour. If two be running in a race, he
that runs slowest had as p,ood never run at all ; for he
loseth the prize and his labour both. Many, Mho like
Agripfia^ are but almost chrmians^ will find in the end
they shall be but almost saved. God hath set the rate
at which the pearl must be bought ; if you bid a penny
less, you hud as good bid nothin;;. As a m;m ti.at is
lifting up some weighty thing, if he put to almost
strength enough, it is as good he put to none at all,
for he doth but lose all his labour.

O how many professors of Christianity will find this
true to their sorrow, who have had a mind to the ways
of God, and have kept up a dull task of duty, but ne-
ver came to serious Christianity ! How many a duty
have they lost, for Avant of doing them thoroughly I
Many chull seek to enter and not be able ; who, if they
had striven might have been able. O therefore put to
a little more diligence and strength, that all be not in
vain that you have done already I

1 1 . Furthermore, we have lost a great deal of time
already, and therefore it is reason that we labour so
much the harder. If a traveller sleep, or triiie out
most of the day, lie must travel so much the fa-ster in
the evenin .'■, or fail short of his journey's end. W ith
some of us ovir childhood and youth is gone ; with
some also their middle age, and the time before us is
very uncertain. What a deal of time have we slept
away, and talked av/ay, and played away What a
deal have we spent in worldly thoughts and labours,
or in mere idleness ' Thoui.h in likelihood the most
of our time is spent, yet how little of our woriv is

TJie Saints' Ever lasting JRest, 145

«k>ne ? And is it not time to bestir ourselves in the
•vening of our days ? The time which we have lost
can never be recalled ; should we not then redeem it
by improving the little -which remaineth ? You may
i-eceive indeed an equal recomficnse with those that
have borne the h2xrde?i a?7d heat of the day, though yotc
§ar)ie not in fill the last hour ; but then you must b«
sure to labour diligently that hour. It is enough
sure that we have lost so much of our fives. Let us
Mot now be so foolish as to lose the rest.

12. Consider the greater are your layings-out, tlie
greater will be your comings-in. Though you may
seem to lose your labour at the present, yet the hour
Cometh w hen you shall find it with advantage. The
Peed which is buried and dead, will bring forth a plen-
tiful increase at the harvest. Whatever yau do and
v.-hatever you suffer, everlasting rest will pay for all.
There is no repenting of labours and sufferings in
heaven ; none says, '* would I had spared my pain^
'*nd prayed less, or been less strict, and did as the
rest of my nei<^hboui*s did :" there is never such a
thought in heaven as these. But oJi the contrary, it
will be their joy to look back upon their labours, and
consider how the mighty power of God did bring
them through all. Who ever complained that he came
to heaven at too dear a rate ; or that his salvation cost
him more labour than it was "worth ? W^e may say of
iill our labours, as Paul of his sufferings, / reckon j.hcti
the sufferint^s (and labours) of this firesent tirne^ are
not worthy to be coinfiared with the glory that shall be
"cvralcd. We labour but for a moment, but we shaH
vest for ever. Who would not put forth all his strength,
for one hour, when he may be a prince while he lives ?

Oh, what is the duty and sufferings for a short lif^
m respect of endless joys with God ? Will not all our
fccra then be mjied away ? and all the 50iT0\vs ©f oift-

146 The Saints^ Everlasting Rest*

duties forgotten ? but yet the Lord will not forget
them : for he is not unjust to fort^et our work and lu'
boiir of love.

13. Consider, violence and laborious striving for
salvation, is the way that the wisdom of Cod hath
directed us to, as best and his sovereign authority
appointed us as necessary. Who knows the way to
heaven better than the God of heaven ? When men
tell us that we are too strict, whom do they accuse,
God, or us ? If v/e do no more than Avhat we are
commanded, nor so much neither ; they may as well
say, God hath made laws which are too strict. Sure
if it were a fault, it would lie in him that commands,
and not in us who obey. And dare these men think
that they are wiser than God ? Do they know better
than he, what men must do to be saved i These are
the men that ask us, whether we are wiser than all
the world besides ? and yet they will pretend to be
wiser than God. What do they less, w!:en God bids
Tis take the most diligent course, and they tell us, it
is more ado than needs ? Mark well the language of
God, and see how you can reconcile it with the lan-
guage of the world : '' The kingdom of heaven sufier-
cth violence, and the violent take it by force. Strive
to enter in at the strait gate ; for many sliall seek to en-
ter in and not be able. Whatsoever the hand findeth
to do, do it with all thy might ; for there is no work,
nor device, nor knowledge, or wisdom in the grave,
whither thou ^oest. AVork cut your salvation with
fear and trembling. Give diligence to make your call-
illg and election sure. If the righteous scarcely be sa-
ved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear r"

This is the constant language of Christ : and which
shall I follow, God or men ; yea, and that the worst
and most wicked men .'* shall 1 think that every ig-
norant worldly sot, that can only call a man a Puritan,
lyjows more than Christ, or can tell God how to mend

The Samti>* Everlasting Rest. 147

tlic scriptures ? Let them brini;- all the seeming reason
thev can ac^-ainst the holy, violent striving of the saints;
and this suiricctii me to confute them all, that God is of
another mind, and he hath commanded me to do much
more than I do : and though I could see no reason for
it, yet his will is reason enough to me : I am sure
God is worthy to govern us, if we were better than
we are. Who should make laws for us, but he that
made us ? And who should mark out the way to
heaven, but he that must bring us thither i and who
should determine on what conditions we shall be saved,
but he that bestows the gift of salvation ? So that let
the world, or the flesh, or the devil, speak against a
holy laborio\is course, this is my answer, God hath
commanded it.

14. Moreover, it is a course that all men in the
world either do, or kvill approve of. There is not
a man that ever was, or is, or shall be, but shall one
day justify the diligence of the saints. And who
would not go that way, which every man shall ap-
plaud I

It is true, it is now a luay every where fifioken against,
and hated : but let me tell you, I . Most that speak
against it, in their judments approve of it ; only be-
cause the practice of godliness is against the pleasures
of the flesh, therefore do they, against their own judg-
ments, resist it. They have not one word of reason
against it, but reproaches and railin.;; are their best
arguments. 2. Those that are now against it, whe-
ther in judgment or passion, will shortly be of another
mind. If they come to heaven, their mmd must be
changed before they come there. If they go to hell,
their judgment v/ill then be altered, whether they will
or no.

If you could speak with every soul that suffereth
those torments, and ask whether it be possible to be

14-8 The SaintiP Everlasting' Rest,

i>

foo dilii^ent and serious in seekinj^ salvation, yon may
easily conjecture what answer tliey would return. —
Take the most bitter derider or persecutor of godli-
ness, even those that wril venture their lives to over-
throw it, if those men do not shortly wish a thousand
times that they had been the most holy, diligent chris-
tians on earth, then let me bear the shame of a false
prophet for erer.

Kemcmber this, you that will be of the opinion and
way that most are of; why will you not be of the
opinion then that all will be shortly of ? Why will
you be of a jud:4:ment which you are sure you shall all
shortly change ? O that you were but as wise in this,
as those in hell i

14. Consider, They that have been the most seri-
ous, painful christians, when they come to die, ex-
ceedingly lament their negligence. Those that have
wholly addicted themselves to the work of God, and
have made it the business of their lives, and have
slighted the world, and mortified the flesh, and have
been the wonders of the world for their heavenly con-
versations ; yet when conscience is deeply awakened,
how do their failings wound them ? Even those that
are hated and derided.by the world for being so strict,
and are thought to be almostbeside themselves for their
extraordinary diligence ; yet commonly v/hen they lie
a dying, wish, O that they had been a thousand timers
more holy, more heavenly, more laborious for their
souls 1 What a case then will the negligent world be
in, when their consciences are awakened, when they
lie dying, and look behind them upou a lazy, negli-
gent life ; and look before them upon a severe and ter-
rible judgment ? What an esteem will they have of a
holy life ? For iny own part, I may say as Erasmus.,
" They accuse me for doing too much, but my own
*' conscience accuseth me for doing too little, and be-
" ing too slow : and it is far easier bearing the scorns

The Saints^ Everlasting Rest* . 14$

*• of the world, than the sccuv^^es of conscience." The
world speaivs at a distance without me, so that though
I hear their words, I can choose whether I will feel
them: but my conscience speaks within, at the very-
heart, so that ev^ery check doth pierce me to the quick.
Conscience, when it reprehends justly, is the messen-
ger of God : ungodly revilers arc the voice of the
devil. I had rather be reproached by the devil for
seeking salvation, than ro^i'oved of God for neglecting
it : I had rather the world should call me Puritan in the
devil's name, than conscience should call me loiterer
in God's name. As God and conscience are more
useful friends than Satan and the world ; so are they
more dreadful, irresistible enemies.

And thus, reader, I have shewed thee sufficient rea-
son a.ainst thy slothfulness and negligence, if thou be
not a man resolved to shut thine eyes, and to destroy
thyself. Yet, lest all this should not prevail, I will
add somewhat more, to persuade thee to be serious in
thy endeavours for heaven.

1. Consider, God is in ^ood earnest with you ; and
why then should you not be so with him ? In his corn-
mands, he means as he speaks and will verily require
your real obedience. In his threatenings he is serious,
and will make them all good a ainst the rebellious.
In his promises he is serious, and will fulfil them to
the obedient, even to the least tittle. In his judg-
ments he is serious, as he will make his enemies know
to their terror. Was not God in good earnest when
he drowned the world, when he consumed Sodom and
Gomorrah, when he scattered the Jews ? And very
shortly will lay hold on his enemies, particularly man
by man, and ma';e them know that he is in good
earnest : especially when it comes to the great reck-
oning day. And is it time then for us to dally with
God?

N 3

1-50 The Saints* Everlasting ResU

2. Jesus Christ wns serious in purchasinj^ our re-
demption, lie was serious in leachmjj, Hvhei7 he nrgleci-
ed hi<i meat and drink, John iv. 32. He was serious
in praying, ivhen he co7iiinued all riight at it. He was
serious in doing good, ivhcn his kindred came and laid
hands on him, thinking he had been beside himself.
He was serious in suffering, " whi;n he fested forty
days, was tempted, l^etrayed, spit on, buffeted, crown-
ed with thorns, sweat blOTfci, was crucified, pierced,
died.*' There was no jesting in all this : and should wc
not be serious in seeking our own salvation ?

3. The Holy Ghost is serious in soliciting us for
our happiness : his motions are frequent and pressing,
and importunate : he striveth with our hearts. He
is grieved when we resist him ; and should not we
then be serious in obeying his motions, and yielding
to his suit ?

4. How serious and diligent are all the creatures
in tfieir service to thee ? What haste makes the sun to
compass the world ? And how truly doth it return at
its appointed hour ? So do the moon and other planets.
Tlie springs are always flowing for thy use ; the rivers
'illU running ; the spring and harvest keep their times.
How hard doth tliy ox labour for thee from day to
day ? How peinfully and speedily doth thy horse bear
thee in travel ? And shall all these be lal3orious, and
thou only negligent ? shall they all be so serious in
serving thee, and yet tliou be so slig^ht in thy service
to God ?

5. Consider, the servants of the world and thcs de-
vil arc serious and diligent ; they ply their work con-
tinually, as if they could never do enough : they make
haste, and march furiously, as if they were afraid of
coming to hell too late : they bear down ministers, and
sermons, and counsel and all before them. And shall
they do more for the devil, than thou wilt do for

Trie SuinU^ Ever lasting Resit* 13\

God ? Or l)e more diiie;cnt for damnation, Ihan thon
wilt be for salvation ;" liait not ihou a better master ?
and sweeter employment^ and sweeter encouruije-
Hient and a better reward ?

6. There is no jestinp; in heaven, nor in hell. The
saints have a real happiness, and the damned a real
misery ; the saints are serious and high in their jo/
and praise ; and the damned are serious and deep in
their sorrow and complaints. There are no remisa
or sleepy praises in heaven ; nor any remiss or sleepy,
lamentations in hell : all men there, are in f^ood
earnest. And should we not then be serious n(Av I I
dare promise thee, the thoughts of these things will
shortly be serious thoughts with thyself. When thou
comest to death or judgment, O what deep heart pier-
cing thoughts wilt thou have of eternity I Methinks
I foresee thee already astonished, to think how thou
couldst possibly make so light of these thin^^s 1 Me-
thinks I even hear tiiee crying out of thy stupidity
and madness !

And now having laid thee down tli^ise undeniable
Arguments, I do in the name of God demand thy re-
solution : What sayest thou ? Wilt thou yield obedi-
ence or not ? I am confident thy conscience is con-
vinced of thy duty. Barest tbou now go on in thy
common careless course, against the plain evidence of
reason and commands of God, and against the light
of thy own conscience ? Barest thou live as loosely,
and sin as boldly, and pray as seldom, and as coldly
as before ? Barest thou now as carnally spend the sab-
bath, and sluml)er over the service of God as sli;,;ht-
ly, and think of thine everlasting state as carelessly as
before ^- K )r dost thou not rather resolve to gird up the
loins of thy mind, and to set thyself wholly about the
work of thy salvation ; and to do it with ajl thy
might ; and to break f)ver all the oppositions of the
worldj and to slight all their scorns and persecutions i

132 The Saint^^ Everlasting Ivcst,

*' to cast off the wei^Iit that hangcth on thee ; and the
sin that doth so easily beset thee ; and to run with pa-
tience and speed tlie race that is set before thee ?" I
hope these are thy full resokitions ; if thou art well in
thy wits, I am sure they are.

Yet because I know the strange obstinacy of the
heart of man, and because I would fain leave these
persuasions fastened in thy heart, that so, if it be pos-
sible, thou n-?i.^htest be awa -cned to thy duty, and thy
soul nii^ht live : I shall proceed with thee yet a little
further ; and I once more entreat thee to stir up thy
attention, and go aloncr with me in the free and sober
use of thy reason, while 1 propound tliese following
questions : and I command thee from God, that thou
resist not conviction, but answer them faithfully, and
obey according'ly.

1. Quest. If you could grow rich by religion, or
j^et lands and lordships thereby ; or if you could iiet
honour or preferment by it in the world ; or could be
recovered from sickness by it, or could live for ever
in prosperity on earth : what kind of lives would you
then lead, and what pains would you take in the ser-
vice of God ^ And is not the Rest of the Saints a
more excellent happiness than all this ?

2. Qucftt. If the law of the land did punish every
breach of the sabbath, or every omission of family
duties, or secret duties, or every cold and fieartlesa
prayer, with death : if it were felony or treason to be
neglij^cnt in worship, and loose in your lives ; what
manner of persons would you then be and what lives
would you lead ' And is not eternal death more ter-
rible than temporal :

3. QwcsY. If it Avere God's ordinary course to pu-
nish every sin with some present judgment, so that
every time a man swears, or is drunk, or speaks a lie.

The Saititif^ Kverfasting Rest* 15^

•r backbiteth his nci'j:hboar, he should be struck dead
or blind, or lame, in the place : if God did punish
every cold prayer, or neglect of duty with some re-
markable plci.u;ue ; what manner of persons would you
be ? If you should suddenly fall down dead like And-
nias and vSapphira with the sin in your hands ; or the
plag-ue of Ciod sliould seize upon you as upon the
Israelites, while their sweet morsels were yet in their
mouths : If but a mark should be set in the forehead
of every one that neglected a duty, or committed a
sin ; what kind of lives would you then lead I And is
Rot eternal wrath more terrible than all this ?

4. Quest. If you had seen the general dissolution of
the world, and all the pomp and glory of it consum-
ed to ashes ; if you saw all on fire about you, sump-
tuous buildings, cities, kingdoms, land, water, earth,
heaven, all flaming about your ears : if you had seen
all that men laboured for, and sold their souls for,
gone ; friends gone ; the place of your former abode
gone ; the history ended, and all come down : what
would such a sight as this persuade you to do '. Why,
such a sight thou shalt certainly see. I put my ques-
tion to thee in the words of the apostle, 2 Pet. iii.
^' Seeing all these things shall be dissolved, what man-
ner of person i ought you to be in all holy conversation
and godliness, looking for, and hasting unto the coming
of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire
shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with
fervent heat :" As if he should say, we cannot possi-
bly conceive or express what manner of persons Ave
should be in all holiness and godliness, when we do
but think of the sudden, and certain, and terrible
dissolution of all things below.

5. Qtipst. What if yon had seen the process of the
judgment of the great day ' If you had seen the judg-
ment seat, and the books opened, and the most stand
trembling on the left hand of the judge, and Chmt

154 Ths Saints* Everlasting Rest,

himself accusing them of their rebellions and neglects,
and rcniemberine^ them of all their former sliglitings of
his prrace, and at last coudemninc^ them to perpetual
))erdition ? If you had seen the godly standing- on the
pi'i;ht ham', and Jesus Christ acknowledging their faith-
ful obedience, and adjudging them to the possession
of the joy of their Lord ? Wha' manner of persons
would you have been after such a sight as this ? Why,
this sight thou shalt one day see, as sure as thou
livesl. And why then should not the foreknowledge
of such a day avrake thee to thy duty ?

6. Qursf. What if yoa had once seen hell open,
and all the danyied there in their ceaseless torments,
and had heard them crying out of their slothfulness
in the day of their visitation, and wishing that they
had but another life to live, and that Gocr^ould but
try tliem once again ? one crying out of his ner? lect
of duty, an.' another of his loitering and trifling

_ when he should have been labou'ing for his life ? What
manner of persons would you have been after such a
sight as this ' ^Vhat if you had seen heaven opened,
as Stephen did- and all the saints there triumphing in ,
e:lory, and enjoying the end of their labours and suf-
ferings ? What a life would you le?.d after such a si;;ht
as this • AVhy, you will see this v ith y^wv eyes before
it be long.

7. Quest. Wliat if you had loin in hell but one year,
or one day, or hour, and there felt those torments that
now you do but hear of: and God should turn you
into the world again, and try you with another life-
time, and say, I will see whether thou wilt be yet any
better ; what manner of persons would you be ? If you
were to live a thousand years, wo\dd you not gladly
live as strictly as the ])recisest saints, and spend all those
years in prayer and duty, so you might but escape the
torment which you suffered? how seriously then woidd
you speak of hell r f.nd pi ay against it ? And hear, and

The Saints^ Everlasting IHest* 155

read, and watch, and obey I How earnestly would you
admonish the careless to take heed, and loo^. about
them to prevent their ruin ! And will not you take
Cod's word for the truth of this, except you ieei it ?
Is it not your wisdom to do as much now to prevent it,
as you would do to remove it when it is too late ? Is it
not more wisdom to spend this life in labouring for
heaven, while ye have it, than to lie in torment, wish-
ing for more time in vain I

And thus I have said enough, if not to stir up the
lazy sinner to a serious working out his salvation yet
at least to silence him, and leave him inexcusable at the
judgment of God. If thou canst, after reading all
this, go on in the same neglect of God, and thy soul,
and draw out the rest of thy life in the same dull and
careless course, as thou hast hitherto done ; and if thou
hast so far stupified thy conscfence, that it will quietly
suffer thee to forget all this, and to trifle out the rest
of thy time in the business of the world, when in the
mean vvdiile thy salvation is in danger, and the judge
is at the door ; I have then no more to say to thee : it
is as good to speak to a rock. Only as we do by our
friends when they are dead ; and our words and ac-
tions can do them no good, yet to testify our aii'ections
xTe weep and mourn for them : so will 1 also do for
these souls. It ma -es my heart even tremble to think,
how they will stand trembling before the Lord I And
how confounded and speechless they will be, when
Christ shall reason v.ith them concerning their negli-
gence and sloth I When he sb.all say, as the Lord doth
in Jer. ii. 5, 9, 11, 15. IF/jat tnit/uity /lave yoi.rjat/ier*
for you J found in me^ that ye are gone far from mcy
and have walked after rojiiiy ? Did I ever wrong you,
Or do you any harm, or ever discourage you from fol-
lowing my service ? Was my way so bad that you
Could not endure it ? or my service so base that
you could not stoop to it ? Did I stoop to the fulfil-
fng of the law for you, and cculd not you stoop

156 T/te SainU^ E-JCrhstin^ RtSi.

fD fulfil the easy conditions of my gospel ? Wa»
the world or Saian a better friend to you than I ? Or
hati thcv done for you more than 1 had done ? Try
now whether they will save you, or whetl.Lr they Avill
recompense you for the Icssof l.eaven; or whether they
will he as e,ooc. lo you as I v.ouid have been. O I what
•« ill the wretched sinner answer lo any of this . But
though man will not iicar, yet we may have hope in
spea ".in. to God — Lcrd, smite these rocks till they
gush forth waters : though these ears are deaf, say to
them, Fphphata; be opened : though these sinners be
*ead, let that powder speak which sometimes said, L(t-
7arus, arhe ! We know they will be awakened at the
last resurrection ; O, but then it will be only to their
sorrow ! C), thou that didst v/eep and groan over dead
Lazarufi, pity these sad and senseless Kouls,tiIl they are
able to Meep and groan for, and piry themselves. A«
•thou hast bid thy servants speak, so speak now thyself;
they will hear thy voice speaking to their hearts that
will not hear mine speai.ing to their ears, Long hast
thou knocked at these hearts in vain,

Yet I will add a few more words to good men in par-
ticular, to shew them why they above all men should
be laborious for heaven ; and that tliere is a great de:*i
©f reason, that though all the world sit still, yet they
should abhor that laziness and negligence- and lay out
all their strength on the work of God. To thiis end;,
1 desire them also to answer soberly to these few quea*
^.ons :

1 . Quest. What manner of persons should those hty
V, ho have felt the smart of their negligence, in the new
Virth, in their several wounds and trouble of consci-
ence, in their doubts and fears, in their various afflic-
tions : they that have groaned and cried out so oft, un-
der the sense and tSects of their 4iegligence, and ape

Everlasting Rest, 157

like enough to feel it again, if they do not reform" it ?
Sure one would think they should be slothful no more.

2. Quest. What manner of persons should those be
who have bound themselves to God by so many cove-
wants as we have done, and in special have covenanted
so oft to be more painful and faithful in his service ;
At every sacrament ; on many days of humiliation and
thanksgiving ; in most of our deep distresses and dan-
gerous sicknesses : we are still ready to bewail our ne-
glects, and to engage ourselves, if God will but try us
and trust us once again, how diligent and laborious wc
will be, and how we will improve our time, and re-
prove oflendcrs, and watch over ourseh'es, and ply our
work : and do him more service in a day than we did
in a month ? The Lord pardon our perfidious cove-
nant-breaking ; and grant that our engagements may
not condemn us.

o. Quest. What manner of men should they be in
duty, who have received so much encouragement, as
v>'e have done ? Who have tasted such sweetness in di-
ligent obedience, as doth much more than countervail
all the pains ; w^ho have so oft had experienc of the
wide difference between lazy and laborious duty, by
their different issues ; who have found all our lazy du-
ties unfruitful ; and all our strivings and wrestlings
with God successful, so that we were never impor-
tunate with God in vain ? We who have had so ma-
ny deliverances upon urgent seeking ; and have re-
ceived almost all our solid comforts in a v/ay of close
and constant duty : how sliould v.'e above all men ply
our work ?

4. Quefit. What manner of persons should they be
in holiness, who have so much of the great v\ork yet
undone ? So many sins in so great strength ; graces
weak, sanctification imperfect, corruption still wor-.-

0

159 The Saints* Everlasting Rest,

ing and taking advantage of all our omission ? When
we are as boat-men on the water ; let him row ne-
ver so hard a month together, yet if he do but slack
his hand, and think to ease himself, his boat goes
faster down the stream than before it went up : so do
our souls, when we think to ease ourselves by abating
our pains in duty. Our time is short ; our enemies
mighty : our hindrances many : God seems yet at a
distance from many of us ; our thoughts of him are
dull and unbelieving : our acquaintanse and commu-
nion V. ith Christ, is small, and our desires to be with
him are as small, and should men in our case stand
still ?

5. Quest. Lastly? what manner of persons should
they be, on y/hom the glory of the great God doth
iO much depend ? Men will judge of the father by the
children, and of the master by the servants. We bear
his image, and t\ierefore men will measure him by
his representation. He is no where in the world so
lively represented, as in his saints : and shall they set
him forth as a pattern of idleness ? All the world is
not capable of honouring or dishonouring God so much
as we : and the least of his honour is of more worth
than all our lives. Seeing then that all these things
?.re so, I charge thee that art a christian, in my master's
name, to consider, and resolve the question. What
■manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversa-
tion and godliness ? And let thy life answer the ques-
tion as well as thy tongue.

I have been larger upon this use, partly because of
the general neglect of heaven, that all sorts are guilty
of ; partly because men's salvation depends upon their
present striving and seeking ; partly because the doc-
trine of free grace misunderstood, is lately so abused,
to the cherishing of sloth and security : partly because
many eminent men of late do judge, that to Avork or
"kbour for life and salyatioii is mercenary, legal and

The Saints^ Everlasting Rest* 159

dangerous ; which doctrine (as I have said before )
were it by the owners reduced into practice, would
undoubtedly damn them ; because they that seek not,
shall not find ; and they that strive not to enter, shall
be shut out ; and they that labour not, shall not be
crowned : and partly because it is grown tlie custom,
instead of striving for the kingdom, and contending
for the faith, to strive with each other, about uncer-
tain controversies, and to contend about the circum-
stantials of faith ; wherein the kingdom of God
doth no more consist than in meats or drinks, or ge-
nealogies. Sirs, shall we who are brethren fall out by
the way home, and spend so much of our time about
the smaller matters which thousands have been saved
"without, but never any one saved by them, while
Christ and our eternal rest are almost forgotten ? The
Lord pardon and heal the folly of his people ?

CHAP. VII.-

The third use* Persuading all Men to try their
title to this Rest ; and directing them hoxv t»
try^ that they may knoxi\

I NOW proceed to the third use ; and because it
is of very great importance, I entreat thee to weigh
it the more seriously.

Is there such a glorious rest so near at hand ? And
shall none enjoy it but the people of God ? What
mean the most of the world then, to live so contented-
ly without the assurance of their interest in this rest \
And to neglect the trying of their title to it, when
the Lord hath so fully opened the blessedness of that
kingdom which none but obedient believers shall
possess, and so fully expressed those torments which all

1G0 The Sahits^ Everlasting Rest,

;ie rest of the world must etenially suffer ? A mail
.vould think now, that they who believe this should
lever be at any quiet till they were heirs of the king-
- om. Most men say they believe this word of God
-0 be true : how then can they sit still in such an utter
imccrtaint)^, whether ever they shall live in rest or not ?
Lord, what a wonderful madness is this, that men
•vho know they must presently enter upon unchange-
..'jle joy or pain, should yet live as uncertain what
shall be their doom, ns if they had never heard of
any such state : yea, and live as quietly, and as merri-
ly in this uncertainty, as if nothing ailed them, and
there were no danger !

Are these men alive or dead ? Are they waking or
asleep ? What do they think on ? Where are their
hearts? If they have but a weighty suit at law, how
careful arc they to know whether it will go for them,
or against them ? If they were to be tried for their
live?, how careful would they be to knov/ whether
they should be saved or condemned: especially if their
care might surely sa%'e them ? If they be dangerously
sick ; they will enquire of the physician ; what think
you sir, shall I escape or no ? But for the business of
their salvation, they are content to be uncertain. If
you ask most men a reason of their hopes to be saved,
they will say it is because God is merciful, and Christ
died for sinners, and the like general reasons, which
nny man in the v/orld may give as v, ell as they ; but
put them to prove their interest in Christ, and the sav-
ing mercy of God, and^ey can say nothing at all ;
at least nothing out of their hearts and experience.

If Goel should ask them for their souls, as he did
Cain for his brother Abel, they could return but such
an answer as he did. If God or man should say to
them, what case is thy soul in, man*? Is' it regene-
rated, and pardoned or no ? Is it: in a state of life, or
a state of death? He would be ready to say, I knov/

The Sdntsi* Everlasting Rest, 161

fiot, am I my soul's keeper. I hope well, I trust
God with my soul, I shall speed as well as other men
do, I thank God I never made any doubt of my sal-
vation. Thou hast the more cause to doubt a great
deal, because thou never didst doubt ; and yet more
because thou hast been so careless in thy confidence.
What do these expressions discover but a wilful ne-
glect of thy own salvation ? As a ship master that
should let his vessel alone, and say, I will venture it
among the rocks, and the waves, and winds ; I will
trust God v,'ith it ; it will speed as well as other ves-
sels do. Indeed as well as other men's that ure as
careless and idle, but not so well as other men's that
are diligent and watchful. What horrible abuse of
God is this, for men to pretend they trust God, to
cloak their own wilful negligence ? If thou didst truly
trust God, thou wouldst also be ruled by him, and
trust him in that v/ay which he hath appointed thee.
He requires thee to give all diligence to jnak." thy calling
and election sure, and so to trust him, 2 Peter i. 10.
He hath marked thee out a way by which thou may-
est come to be sure ; and char:?;ed thee to search and
try thyself, till thou certainly Imow. Were he not a
foolish traveller, that would go on when he doth not
know whether it be right or wrong ; and say, I hope
I am right ; I v/ill go on and trust God ? Art not thou
guilty of this folly in thy travels to eternity ? Not
considering that a little serious enquiry whether the
•way be right, might save thee a great deal of labour
which thou bestowest in vain, and must undo again,
or else thou wilt miss of salvation, and undo thyself.
Did I not know what a desperate, blind, carnal heart
is, I siiould wonder how thou dost to keep off conti-
nual terrors from thy heart : and especially in these
cases following :

1 . I wonder hew tliou canst eithei; think or speak
•f the dreadful God without exceeding terror and
0 2

162 The Saints^ Everlasting J?est,

astonlsluucnt, as long as thou art uncertain 'whether
he be thy ialher or thy enemy, and knowest not Ijut
all his attributes may be employed against thee. If
his saints must rejoice before him with tremblings and
icrve him with fear : If they that are sure to receive
the immoveable kingdom, must yet serve God with
rei'erejice and godly fear^ because he is a coiisianitig
Jire : how terrible should the remembrance of him
be to them that know not but this lire may for ever
consume them ?

2. How dost thou think Avithout trembling, upon
Jesus Christ ? when thou knowest not whether
his blood hath purged thy soul, or not ? And whether
he will condemn thee, or acquit thee in jud.G,nient :
nor whether he be the corner-stone and foundation of
thy happiness, or a stone of stumbling to break thee.,
and grind thee to powder ?

3. How canst thou open the bible and read a chap-
ter, or hear a chapter read but it should terrify thee ?
Methinks every leaf should be to thee as Belshazzar's
writing on the wall, except only that which draws
tlice, to try and reform : If thou read the promises,
tiiOu knowest not whether ever they shall be fulfilled
to thee, because thou art uncertain of thy perform-
ance of the condition. If thou read the threatenings,
for any thing thou knowest, thou dost read thy own
sentence. I do not wonder if thou art an enemy to
plain preaching, and if thou say of it, and of the
minister and scripture itself, as Ahab of the prophet,
1 hate him^ for he doth not projihecy good concerning
7,-:", but evil.

4. What comfort canst thou find in any thing*
which thou possessest ? Methinks, friends, and ho-
nours, and houses, and lands, should do thee little
good, till thou know thou hast the love of God
withal, and shalt have rest with him when thou leay-

Tiie Saints- Everlasiin^ Rest* iGJ

est these. OlTer to a prisoner, before he knows his
sentence, either music, or clothes, or lands or prefer-
ment, and what cares he for any of these, till he
know how he shall escape for his life ? Then he will
look after these comforts of life, and not before ; for
he knows if he must die the next day, it will be small
comfort to die rich or honourable. Even when thou
liest down to take thy rest, methinks the uncertainty
of thy salvation should keep thee waking, or amaze
thee in thy dreams, and trouble thy sleep ; and thou
shouldst say, as JoS in a smaller distress than thine,
Job. vii. 13, 14. When I saij, my bed shall comfort nie,
ray couch shall ease my comlilaints^ then thott scar est n:s
through dreams^ and terrificst me throi/gh visions.

5. What shift dost thou make to think of thy dy-
ing;* hour ? Thou knowest it is hard by, and there h
no avoiding it# nor any medicine found out that can
prevent it ; thou knowest it is the king- of terr-or, and
flTe inlet to thine unchangeable state. If thou shoiildst
die this day (and who knoivs nvhat a day may bring

forth ?) thou dost not know whether thou shalt go
strait to heaven or hell : And canst thou be merry till
thou art got out of this dangerous state ?

6. AVhat shift dost thou make to preserve thy heart
from horror, when thou rememberest the great judg,-
ment day, and the everlasting flames ? dost thou not
tremble as Felix w hen thou hcarest of it ? and as the
elders of the town trembled when Samuel came to it,
saying, comest thou peaceably ? So methinks thou
shouldst do when the minister €omes into the pulpit :
and thy heart, whenever thou meditatest of that day,
should meditate terror, and thou shouldst even be a
terror to thyself and all thy friends. If the keepers
trembled, and became as dead men, when they did
but see the angels. Malt, xxviii. 3, 4. how canst thou
think of living in hell with devils, till thou hast got
some sound assurance that thou shalt escape it ? Or if

164 The Saints^ Everlasting Rest.

thou seldom think of these things, the wonder is as
great, what shift thou makest to keep these thoughts
from thy heart I Thy bed is very soft, or thy heart is
very hard, if thou canst sleep soundly in this uncer-
tain case.

I have shewed thee the danger ; let me next pro*

cee.l to shew thee the remedy.

If this general uncertainty of the world about their
ealvatiou were remediless, then must it be borne as
other unavoidable miseries : but, alas, the common
cause is v;ilfulness and negligence : men will not be
persuaded to use the remedy, though it be at hand,
prescribed to them by God himself, and all necessary
helps thereunto provided for them. The great means
to conquer this uncertainty, is self-examination, or the
serious and diligent trying of a man's heart and state by
the rule of scripture. But, alas, either men understand
not the nature and use of this duty, or else they will
not be :.t the pains to try. Go through a congrega-
tion of a thousand men, and how few of them will you
meet with, that ever bestowed one hour in all their
lives in a close examination of their title to heaven ?
Ask thy own conscience, reader, when was the time,
and where was the place, that ever thou solemnly took-
edst thy heart to task, as in the sight of God, and
examinedst it by scripture, whether it be born again
or not ? Whether it be holy or not ? Whether it b«
get most on God or on creatures, on heaven or earth ;
and didst follow on this examination till thou hadst
discovered thy condition, and so passed sentence on
thyself accordingly ?

But because this is a work of so high concernment,
Jind so commonly neglected, I will therefore,

1 . Shew you, that it is possible by trying, to •ome
to a certainty.

The Saints* £ver!csti?ig I\est» 16S

2. Shew you the hinderances that^keep men from
ying-, and from assurance.

3. I will lay do\Yn some motives lo persuade you
to it.

4. I will give you some directions how to perform
it.

5. And lastly, I will lay you down some marks out
of scripture, by which you may try, and come to an
infallible certainty, whether you are the people of
God, or no.

And 1. I shall shew you that a certainty of salvation
may be attained, and ought to be laboured for.— -
Which I maintain by these arguments :

1. Scripture tells us we may know, and that the
saints before us have knov.n their justification, and
salvation, 2 Cor. v. 1. Rom. viii. 30. Job. xiii. 35.
1 Joh. V. 19. and iv. 13. and iii. 14, 24. and ii. 3, 5.
Rom. viii. 14, 19. Eph. iii. 12. I refer you to the
li"laces for brevity.

2. If we may be certain of the premises, then may
we also be certain of the conclusion. But here we mar
be certain of both the premises. For, \. That ivhosc-
ever believeth in Christ shall not fieri-^h, but have ever-
hif^tiug life, is the voice of the gospel ; and thcrefca^e
that we may be sure of: that we arc such believers,
may be known by conscience and internal sense.

5. The scripture would never m.akc such a wide
dificrence between the||hildren of God, and the chil-
dren of the devil, and set forth the happiness of the
one, and the misery of the other, and make this dif-
ference lo run through all the veins of Its do-v^ri'V'"

1^ The Saints' Everlasting Reel,

if a man cannot know whieh of these two states he
is in.

4. Much less would the Holy Ghost bid. us give all
diligence to make our calling and elcciion sure^ if it
€«uld not be done, 2 Pet. i. 10.

5. And to what purpose should we be so earnestly
tirt^ed to examine, and prove, and try ourselves, whe-
ther we be in the faith, and whether Christ be in us,
or we be reprobates? 1 Cor. xi. 28. and 2 Cor. xiii.
5. Why should we search for that which cannot b«
found ?

6. How can we obey tho«e precepts which require
us to rejoice always? 1 Thes. v. 16. to call God our
father, Luke xi. 13. to live in his praises, Psal. xlix. 1,
2, 3, 4, 5. and to long for Christ's coming. Rev. xxii.
17, 20. 2 Thes. i. 10. and to comfort ourselves with
the mention of it, 1 Thes. iv. 18. v/hich are all the
consequents of assurance ? Who can do any of thes«
heartily, that is not in some measure sure that he is
a child of God ?

The second thing I promised, is, to shew you what
are the hinderances which keep men from examina-
tion and assurance. I shall, 1. Shew what hinders
them from trying ; and 2. What hindereth them from
knowing, when they do try, that so when you see th«
impediments, you may avoid them.

And 1 . We cannot doubt l)ut Satan will do his part
to hinder us from such a necessary duty as this ; if all
the power he hath can do it, or all the means and in-
struments which he can rais« up. He is loth the god-
ly sliould have that assurance, and advantage against
corruption, which faithful self-examination would
procure them : and for the ungodly he knows, if they
should once fall close to this they would find out bis

The Saints* Everlasting Rest. 167

deceits, and tlieir own danger. If ihey did Imt faith-
fully perform this duty, he were likely to lose most
of his subjects. If the snare be not hid, the bird will
escape it : Satan knows liow to angle for souls, bet-
ter than to shew them the hook or line, 'and to fright
them away with a noise, or with his own appear-
ance.

Therefore he lalx)urs to keep them from a search*
ing ministry ; or to keep the minister from helping
them to search : or to take off the edge of the word,
that it may not pierce, or to turn away their thoughts,
or possess them with prejudice : Satan is acquainted
with ail the preparations of the minister; he knows
when he hath provided a searching sermon-, fitted to
the state and necessity of an hearer ; and therefore he
will keep him away that day, if it be possible, or else
cast him asleep, or steal away the word by the cares
and talk of the world, or some way prevent its ope-
ration.

This is the first hinderance.

2. Wicked men also are gi'eat impediments to poor
ainners when they should examine and discover their
estates.

1. Their examples hinder much. When an igno-
rant sinner seeth all his friends and neighbours do as
he doth, yea, the rich and learned as well as others,
this is an exceeding great temptation to proceed in his
security.

2. The merry company and discourse of these
men do take away tlie thoughts of his spiritual state,
and make the understanding drunk : so that if the
Spirit had before put into them any jealousy of them-
selves, or any purpose to try themselves, these do soo»
quench all.

iM The Saints' JEvcr lasting Rest.

d

T>. .Mso their continual discourse of matters of ihc
▼» orld, doth damp all these purposes.

4. Their railings also, and scorning at c^odly per-
sons, is a very ii;rLat impediment to multitudes of
souls, and possesscth tliem ivith such a prejudice and
dislike of the way to heaven, that they settle in the
■vray they are in.

5. Their constant persuasion, allurements, and
threats^ hinder much. Ciod doth scarce ever open the
eyes of a i>oor sinner, to see that his vay is wrong,
but presently there is a multitude of Satan's apostles
ready to flatter him, and daub, and deceive, and setile
hira again in the quiet possession of his former mas-
ter. \N'hat, say they, do you make a doubt of your
salvation who have lived so well, and done nobody
harm ? Go<l is merciful : and if such as you shall not
be saved, God help a great many : what do you
think is become of all your forefathers ? And what
will become of all your friends and nei:^hbours that
live as you do ? Will ihey all be damr.ed ? Shall none
be saved, think you, but a fevr strict ones ? Come,
come, if ye hearken to these books or preachers, they
will drive you to despair, or drive you out of your
wits : thus do they follow the soul that is escaping
from Satan, with wrestless ciies, till they have brought
him back : Oh, how many thousands have such
charms kept asletfp in security, till death and hell have
awakened and better informed thirm ? 'Vht. Lord calls
to the sinner and tells him, Tfic gate h- strait, the
rcay is 72arrozVy and ftiv find it : try ayid exatnine ivJic-
thtr thou 6e in the fahh or 7io : g-ive all dH'gerice to
make fnirc in Awe— And the world cries out clean
the contrary, never doubt, never trouble yourschts
M'ith liiese tlioughts ; — I entreat tlie sinner that is in
iJiis strait to consider, that it is Christ, and not their
fathers, or riioiiiers or ncighboiir, or friends that must
jud^-c them ; and if Christ condemn them, these can-

Tne Saints* Everlasting J^est, 109

not save them : and therefore common reason may-
tell them, that it is not from the words of ignorant
men, but from the word of God that they must fetch
their hopes of salvation.

When Ahab would enquire among the multitudes
of flattering prophets, it was his death. They can
flatter men mto the snare, but they cannot bring them
out. Oh, take the counsel of the Holy Ghost, Eph.
V. 6, 7. '' Let no man deceive you with vain words :
for because of these things cometh the wrath of God
upon the children of disobedience : be not ye there-
fore partakers with them : but save yourselves from
this untoward generation.

3. But the greatest hinderances are in men's own
hearts.

1. Some are so ignorant that they know not what
self-examination is, nor what a minister means when
he persuadeth them to try themselves ; or they know-
not that there is any necessity of it : but think every
man is bound to believe that God is his fiither, and
that his sins are pardoned whether it be true or false;
and that it were a great fault to make any question of
it : or they do not think that assurance can be attain-
ed ; or that there is any such great diflereiice betwixt
one man and another : but that we are all christians,
and therefore need not trouble ourselves any further :
or at least they know not wherein the difleience lies ;
ror how to set upon this searching of their hearts'.
TJiey have as gross conceits of that regeneration*
which they must search for, as Nicodennis had ; they
are like those in Acts xix. 2. that hiew not ivhethrr
there were a Holy Ghost to be received or no.

2. Some are so possessed with self-love and pride^
that they will not so much as suspect any danger to

p

179 The Saints* Everlasting Rest*

themselves. Like a proud tradesman who scorns the
motion when his friends desire him to east up his
books, because they are afiaid he \\ill break. As
some fond parents that have an o\er Meanini.'. conceit
of their own children, and therefore will not believe
or hear any evil of them : such a fond self-love doth
hinder men from suspecting and iiying their states.

3. Some are so guilty that they dare not try : they
are so fearful that they should find their estates un-
sound, that they dare not search into them. And yet
they dare venture tiiem to a more dreadful trial.

4. Some are so in love with their sin, and so in dis-
like with the way of God, that they dare not fall on
the trial of their ways, lest they be forced from the
course which they love.

5. Some are so resolved already never to change
their present state, that they neglect examinaticn as a
useless thing : before they will turn so precise, and
seek a new way, when they have lived so long, and
gone so far, they will put their eternal state to the
venture, come of it what will. And wh.en a man is
fully resolved to hold to his way, and not to turn
back, be it right or wrong, to what end should he
enquire whether he be right or no I

6. Most men arc so taken up with their worldly af-
fairs, and are so busy in providinp; for the flesh, that
they cannot set themselves to the trying of their title
to heaven : they have another kind of happiness in
their eye, which will not sutler them to make sure of
heaven.

f . But the most common im.pediment is that false
faith and hope commonly called presumption ; which
beai-s up the hearts of m.ostof the world, and so keeps
them from suspecting their danger.

the Saints* Everlasting JTesC. 171

Thus you see what abundance of difficulties must
be overcome- before a ma.n closely sets upon the ex-
amination of his heart.

And if a man breakthrough all these impediments,
and Sv't upon the duty, yet, of those few wI:o enquire
af'-cr means of r.ssurance, divers are deceived and mis-
carry, especially through these foilowing causes.

I There is such confusion and darVness in the soul
of man, especially of .ji uwregenerate man, that he can
scarcely teli what he doth, or what is in him. As one
can hardly find any thin ; in an house where nothing
keeps its place, but all is cast on an heap together ;
so is it in the heart where all things aie in disorder!
especially when dar'-ness is added to this disorder : so
that the heart is like an obscure dungeon, where there
is but a little crevice of li v^'t. and a man must rather
grope than see, no wonder if men mistake n search-
ing such an heart, and so miscarry in judging their
estates.

2. Besides, many are resolved what to judge before
they try ; they use the duty bat to strengthen their
present conceits of themselves, and not to iwid out the
truth of their condition : like a bribed judge, who
examines each party as if he would judge uprightly,
when he is resolved which way the cause shall go be-
fore-hand. Just so do men examine their hearts.

3. Also men try themselves by false marks and
rules : not knowing wherein the truth of Christianity
doth consist : some looking beyond, and some short
of the scripture-standard.

Lastly, Men frequently miscarry in this work, by
setting on it in their own strength. As some expect
the Spirit should do it without them, so others at-
tempt it themselves without seeking or expecting the

17S The SVtnts* Everlasting Rest,

faelp of the Spirit : both these will certainly miscarry
in their assurance.

CHAP. VIII.

Further eauses of doubting among Christians,

BECAUSE the comfort of a christian's life doth
so much consist in his assurance of God's special
love, and because the right ^vay of obtaininj^- it is so
much controverted, I will here proceed a little further
in opening; to you some other hinderances which keep
us christians from comfortable certainty.

1 . One great cause of doubting and uncertainty, is,
the weakness of our grace. A little grace is next to
none. Small things are hardly discerned. Most con-
tent themselves with a small measure of grace* and do
not follow on to spiritual strength and manhood. They
believe so weakly, and love God so little, that they
can scarce find whether they believe and love at all.
Like a man in a swoon, v/hose pulse and breathing is
so weak, that they can hardly be perceived whether
tJiey move at all, and consequently v\'hether the man
be alive or dead.

The chief remedy for such would be, to follow on
their duty, till their graces be increased : ply your
work : wait upon God in the use of his prescribed
means, and he will undoubtedly bless you with in-
crease. () that cliristians would bestow most of that
time in getting more grace, which tliey bestow in anx-
ious doublings whether they iiave any or none ; and
that they v/ould lay out those serious affections in
praying, and seeking to Christ for more grace, which
ihey bestow in fruitless complaints ! I beseech thee,

The Saints' Everlasting Rest, ITJ

take this advice as from God ! aiid then, when thou
believest strongly, and lovest fervently, thou canst not
doubt whether thou believe and love, or not ; no more
than a man that is burning hot can doubt whether he
be warm : or a man that is strong and lusty can doubt
whether he be alive.

2. Many a soul lleth \o\y^ under doubting, through
the imperfection of their very reason, and exceeding
weakness of their natural parts. Grace doth usually
rather employ our faculties on better objects, than add
to the degree of their natural strength. Many honest
hearts have such weak heads, that they know not how
to perform the work of self-trial ; they are not able to
arxi;ue the case ; they will acknowled-,e the premises,
and yet deny the apparent conclusion. Or if they be
brought to acknowledge the conclusion, yet they do
but stagger in their concession, and hold it so weakly,
that every assault may take it from them. If God do
not some other way supply to these men the defect of
their reason, I see not how they should have clear and
settled peace.

3. Another common cause of doubting and discom-
fort, is, the secret maintaining some known sin.

When a man liveth in some unv/arrantable practice,
and God hath oft touched him for it, and yet he con-
tinucth it ; it is no wonder if this person want both
assurance and comfort. One would think that a soul
that is so tender as to tremble, should be as tender of
sinning : and yet sad experience telleth us that it is
frequently otherwise : I have known too many such,
that would complain and yet sin, and accuse them-
selves, and yet sin still yea and despair, and yet pro-
ceed in sinning : and all arguments and mean^ could
Dot keep them from the wilful committing of that sia
again and again, which yet they themselves did think
p 2

• 74 The SaiJits^ Everlasting I? est.

vvould prove their destruction. Yea, some M-ill t
carried av.ay with those sins thut seem most contrary
to their dejected temper. I have known them that
would fill men's ears with the constant lamentations
of their miserable state, and accusations against them-
selves, as if they had been the most humble people in
the world : and yet be as passionate in the maintain-
ing their innocency when another accuseth them, and
as intolerably peevish, and tender of their reputation
in any thing they are blamed for, as if they were the
proudest persons on earth.

This cherishing sin doth hinder assurance these four
-vays.

1 . It doth abate the degree cf our graces, and so
1 makes tliem undiscernable.

2. It obscureth that which it destroyed not ; for it
i beareth such sway, thrtt grace is not seen to stir, nor
i scarce heard speak for the noise of this corruption.

3. It puttetli out, or darkeneth the eye of the souL
and it beniinibeth and stupifieth it.

4. Bi«t especially it provoketh God to withdraw
himself, his comforts and the assistance of the Spirit,
"without which we may search long enough before we
have assurance. God hath made a separation betwixt

' sin and peace. As long as thou dost cherish thy pride,
j thy Icve of the world, the desires cf the flesh, or any
I unchristian practice, thou expectestasi;urance and com-
' fort in vain. God will not encourage thee by his
i precious gifts in a course of sinning. This worm
; will be gnawing upon thy conscience : It will be a
devouring canker to thy consolations. Thou mayst
steal a spr.rk of false comfort from thy worldly pros-
} perity or delight : or thou mayst have it from some
I false opinions, or from the delusions of Satan ; but

The Sair.U- Ever las tinz Rc^t.

o

from God thou v-'ilt liave no comfort. However an
Antinomi:m may tell thee, that thy comforts have no
dependance upon thy obedience, nor thy di^^comforts
upon thy disobedience : and therefore may speak
peace to thee in the course oP thy sinninfj ; yet thou
shalt find by experience that God will not. If any
man set up his idols in his heart, and put the stum-
bling-block of his iniquity I)cfore his face, and cometli
to a minister, or to God, to enquire for assurance and
comfort, God will answer that man by himself, and
instead of comforting him, he will set his face against
him, he ivill ansiver him accoi'dhig to the multitude of
his idols.

5. Another common cause of want of assurance and
comfort, is. when men grow lazy in the spiritual part
of duty. As Dr. Sibbs saith truly, " it is the lazy
christian commonly that lacketh assurance.'* The
way of painful duty, is tlie way of fullest comfort,
Christ carrieth all our comforts in his hand : if vre arc
out of that way where Christ is to be met, we are out
of the way where comfort is to be had.

These two v/ays doth this laziness debar us of our.
comforts.

1. By stopping the fountain, and causing Christ te
withhold this blessing from us. Parents use not to
smile upon children in their neglects and disobedience.
So far as the Spirit is grieved, he will suspend his con-
solations. Assurance and peace are Christ's great en-
couragements to faithfulness and obedience: and there-
fore (though our obedience do not merit them yet,)
they usually rise and fall v* ith our diligence in duty.
They that have entertained the Antinomian dotage to
cover their idleness and viciousness, may talk their
nonsense against this at ])!easure, but the laborious
christian" knows it by experience. As prayer must
have faith and fervency to procure it success, besides

176 The Saints^ Ever las tmg f^est.

the bloodshed and hitcrcession of Christ, so must all
other parts of o\ir oiiedience. He that will say to us
in that triumphing- day, " Well done, good and faith-
ful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord ;*' will
also comfort his servants in their most alftctionate and
spiritual duties, and say, '• Well clone, p^ood and faith-
ful servant, take this foretaste of thy everlastinj^ joy-'*
If thou grow siildom and customary, and cold in duty,
cspt;cially in tiiy secret prayers to God, and yet findest
no abatement in tliy joys, I cannot but fear that thy
joys are either carnal or diabolical.

2. The action of the soul upon such excellent objects
doth naturally bring consolation with it. The very
act of lovin-v God in Christ doth bring inexpressible
sweetness into the soul. The soul that is best furnished
with grace, when it is not in action, is li!;e a lute
well stringed and tuned, which while it lieth still, doth
make no more music than a common piece of wood ;
but when it is taken up and handled by a skilful lutist,
the melody is delightful. Some degree of comfort fol-
lows every good action, as heat accompanies fire, and
as beams And influence issue from the sun : which is so
true, that the very heathens upon the discharge of a
good conscience, Jiave found comfort and peace an-
swerable. This IS pramium ante Jinemiiun : a reward
before the reward.

As a man tlierefore that is cold should not stand
vStill and say, I am so cold that I have no mind to la-
bour- but labour till his coldness be gone, and heat
excited ; so he thvX wants the comfort of assurance,
must not stand stilK and say, I am so doubtful and
uncomfortable that I have no mind for duty ; but ply
his duty, and exercise his graces, till he finds his
doubts and discomforts vanish.

And thus T have shewn you the chief causes, why so
many shristians cnjoy so little assurance and consolation

The Saints' Everlasting Rest. ir.7

CHAP. IX.

Containmg directions for £xa?nination^
marks of Trial,

and SO'

I WILL not stand here to lay clown the directions
necessary for preparation to this duly, because you
may gather them from what is said concerning the
hinderances : for the contraries of those hinderanccs
will be the most necessary helps. Only before you
set upon it, I advise you to the observation of these
rules ,

1. Come not with too peremptory conclusions ot
vourselves before-hand. Do not judge too coniideRtiy
before you try.

2. Be sure to be so well acquainted with the scrip-
ture, as to know what is the tenor of the covenant of
grace, and what are the conclitions of justification and
glorification, and con3equently what are sound marks
to try thyself by.

3. Be a constant observer of the temper ar.d motions
of thy heart : m.ost of the difficulty of the work doth
lie in true and clear discernine^ of it. Be watchful in
observinr^ the actings both of grace and corruption,
and th.c circumstances of their actings : as, how fre-
quent ? how violent ? how strong or weak w-^re the
outvv'ard incitements ? how great or small the impedi-
ments f what deli^^'ht, or loathing, or fear, or reluc-.
1-ancy did go with those acts ?

1. Empty thy mind of all thy other cares and
thoughts, that they do not distract or divide thy mind :
this work will be enough at once of itself, witho'it
joining others with it.

178 The Saints' Everlasting Rest,

2. Then fall (1o\\ti before God, and in hearty
prayer desire the as-^istance of his Spirit, to discover
to thee the plain truth of thy condition, and to en-
h.-^hten tliee in the whole progress ot the work.

I will not dit^ress to warn you here of the false rules
And marks of trial of which you must beware. But
I will briefly adjoin some marks to try vour title to
this rest.

1 . Every soul that hath a title to this rest, doth place
his happiness in it, and make it tlie ultimate end of
his soul. This is the first mark ; which is so phin a
truth, that I need not stand to prove it. lor this rest
consisteth in the full and o;lorious enjoyment of God ;
and he thiit maketh not God his ultimate end, is \\\
heart a pagan and vile idolater. y

Let me ssk thee then : dost thou trulf account it
thy chief happiness to enjoy the Lord in plory, or
doi>t thou not ? Carjst thou say with David, The Lord
is my fio>'tion ? Jind whom have I in kean'en but ihee ?
And vjhom in earth that I desire in comparison of ihcj ?
If thou be an heir of rest, it is thus with thet.— .
Though the flesh will be pleading; for its own delights,
and i\m wo''lu %vili be creepins: into thine affections,
yet in thy ordinary, settled, prevailing judq;ment and
affections, thou preferrest God before all things in
the world.

1 . Thou makest him the end of thy desires and en-
deavour^ : the very reason wliy thou hearest and pray-
est, why thou desirest to live and breathe on earth, is
this, that thou mayest seek the Lord. Thou seckest
first the kini^lom of God and its righteousness : though
thou dost not seek it so zealously as thou shouldst ;
yet hath it the cliief of tliy desires and endeavours :
and nothing else is desired or preferred before it.

The Saints^ Everlasting Kes^t. 179

2. Thou wilt think no ^labour or suffering too
great to obtain it. And though the flesh may somt-
times shrink, yet art thou resolved and content to go
through all.

3. If thou be an heir of rest, thy valuation of it
will be so high, and thy aflfection to it so i,reat, that
thou wouldst not exchange thy title to it, and hopes
of it, for any worldly good whatsoever. If God
would set before thee an eternity of earthly pleasure
on one hand and the rest of the saints on the other,
and bid thee take thy choice ; thou wouldst refuse the
world, and choose this rest.

But if thou be yet in the flesli, then it is clean con-
trary with thee : then dost thou in thy heart prefer thy
■worldly happiness before God ; and though thy tongue
may say, that God is the chief good, yet thy heart
doth not so esteem him. For,

1. The world is the chief end of thy desires and
endeavours ; thy very heart is set upon it ; thy great-
est care and labour is to m.aintain thy estate, or credit,
or fleshly delights. But the life to come hath little of
thy care or labour. Thou didst never perceive so
much excellency in the unseen glory as to draw thy
heart so after it ; but that liitle pains which thou be-
stowest that way, it is but in the second place. God
hath but the world's leavings, and that time and la-
bour which thou canst spare from the world, or those
few cold and careless thoughts which follow thy con-
stant, earnest, and delightful thoughts of earthly
things : neither wouldst tiiou do any thing at all for
heaven, if thou knewest l;ow to keep the world : but
lest thou shouldst be turned into hell when thou canst
keep the world no longer, therefore thou wilt d«
something.

lHiO ihe Saints* Everlasting J^tst.

2. Therefore it is that thou thinkest the "uay of
God too strict, and wilt not be persuaded to the con-
slant labour of walxing according to the g:ospel rule :
and when it comes to trial, that thou must forsake
Christ or thy worldly happiness, and the wind which
was in thy back doth turn in thy face, then thou wilt
venture heaven rather than earth, and (as desperate
rebels use to say) thou wilt rather trust God's mercy
for thy soul than man's for thy body ; and so deny
thy obedience to God.

3. And certainly if God would but give thee leave
to live in health and wealth for ever on earth, thou
wouldst think it a better state than rest : let them seek
for heaven that would, tliou wouldst think this thy
rhiefest happiness. This is thy case if thou be yet an
unregenerate person, aad hast no title to the saints' rest.

The second mark which I shall give thee, to try
whether tiiou be an heir of rest, is this r

As thou takest God for thy chief good, so, thou
dost h.eartily accept of Christ for thy only Saviour and
Lord to bring thee to this rest. The former mark
was the sum of the first and great command of the
law of nature, \_ThGu shalt love the Lord thy God.l
This second mark is the sum of the command or con-
dition of the gospel, \_Bciieve in the Lord Jesua, and
rhou shall be saved.l And the performance of these
two is the v/hole simi or essence of 8,odliness and
Christianity. Observe therefore the parts of this
mark, w^hich is but a definition of faith.

1 . Dost thou find that thou art naturally a lost, con-
demned man, for thy breach of the first covenant ?
And believe that Jesus Chiist is the mediator who hath
made a sufficient satisfaction to the law ? And hear-
ing in the gospel that he is offered without exception
unto all, dost thou heartily consent that he alone shaTl

The Saints* Everlasting Rest. ISl

be thy Saviour ? And no further trust to thy duties
and works, than as conditions required by him, and
means appointed in subordination to him ? Not look-
ing at them as in the least measure able to satisfy the
course o£ the law, or as a legal righteousness, nor any
part of it ? But art content to trust thy salvation oa
the redemption made by Christ ?

2. Art thou also content to take him for thy only
Lord and King, to govern and guide thee by his laws
and Spirit ? And to obey him even when he com-
rrwindeth the hardest duties, and those which most
rross the desires of the fleslx ? Is it thy sorrow when
thou breakest thy resolution herein ? And thy joy
when thou kcepest closest in obedience to him ?
Wouldst thou not change thy Lord and Master for
all the world ? Thus it is with every true christian.
But if thou be an unbeliever it is far otherwise. Tho*
mayest call Christ thy Lord and thy Saviour : but thou
never foundest thyself so lost without him as to driv«
thee to trust him, and lay thy salvation on him alone :
or at least thou didst never heartily consent that he
should govern thee as thy Lord ; nor resign up thy
soul and life to be ruled by him ; nor take his v/ord
for the law of thy thoug;hts and actions. It is !il;e
thou art^ontent to be saved from hell by Christ whca
thou diest : but in the mean-time he shall command
thee no further than will stand with'tKy credit, or
pleasure, or worldly estate and ends. And if he v.ould
give thee leave, thou hadst far rather live after the
world and flesh, than after the word and Spirit. And'
though thou mayest now and then have a motion or
purpose to the contrary ; yet this that I have menti-
oned, is the ordii^ry desire find choice of thine heart :
and so thou art no tioie believer in Christ : for though
thou confess him in words, yet in works thou dost
iJeny him, being dkobedierit^ and to rvery good work a

182 The Saints'' Everlasting Rent.

Miaafiprover and a refirobafc^ Tit. i. 16. This is the
case of those that shall be shutout of the saintb* rest.

CHAP. X.

t iic rcaion of the Sai72ts^ Ajpictlons hcKr.

A FURTHER use which we must make of the pre-
sent doctrine is, To inform us why tiie people of
God sufier so much in this life. What wonder?
when you see their rest doth yet remain : they are not
yet come to their resting; place. We would all fain
have continual prosperity, because it is pleasing to the
flesh ; but we consider not the unreasonableness of such
desires. We are like children, who if they see any
thin.^ which their appetite dcsireth, cry for it : and
if you tell them that it is unwholesome, or hurtful
for them, they are never the more quieted ; or if you
go about to heal any sore that they have, they will
not endure you to hurt them, though you tell them,
that they cannot otherwise be healed ; their sense is
too strong for their reason, and therefore reason doth
little persuade them. Even so is it with us when God
is aillicting us : he giveth us reasons why we must
bear it, so that our reason is oft convinced and satis-
fied, and yet we cry and complain still : it is not rea-
son, but ease that we must have : spiritual remedies
may cure the s^yirit's maladies ; but that will not con-
tent the flesh.

But methinks christians should have another palate
than that of the flesh, to try and relish providences by :
God hath given them the Spirit to subdue the flesh.
And therefore I sluili here give them some reast>ns of
God's dealing in their present sufferings, whereby the
equity and mercy therein may appear ; and they shall

The Saints^ Ever last hnr Rest,' 183

o

be only such as are drawn from the reference that these
aflBictions have to our rest ; winch beini^ a chrisLlan's
happiness, and ultimate end, M'ill direct him in judg-
ing of all estates and means.

1. Consider then. That labour and trouble are the
common way to rest, both in the course of nature and
of grace. Can there possibly be rest witliout motion
and weariness ? Do you not travel and toil first, and
then rest afterwards i The day for labour i>oes first,-
and then the night for rest doth follow. Why should
■we desire the course of grace to be perverted, any more
than we would do the course of nature ? God did
€>nce dry up the sea to make a passage for his people ;
and once made the sun in the firmament to stand still ;
but must he do so always ? Or as oft as we would have
him I Is it his established decree, " Tliat through ma-
ny tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of
heaven." Acts xiv. 22. " And that if we sufier with
him, we shall also be glorified with him," 2 Tim. ii.
12. And what are we, that God's statutes should be
reversed for our pleasure ? As Bildad said to Job,
Chap, xviii. 4. " Shall the earth be forsaken for thee ?
or the rock be removed out of his place ? So, must
God pervert this established ord^r for thee i"

2. Consider also, That afflictions are exceeding use-
ful to us, to keep us from mistaking our resting place,
and so taking up short of it. A christian's motion
heaven-wards is voluntary, and not constrained. Those
means therefore are most profitable to him, which help
his understanding and will, in this prosecution. The
most dangerous mistake that our souls are capable of,
is, to take the creature for God, and earth for heaven.
And yet, aWs, how common is this ! Though we are
ashamed to speak so much with our tongues, yet how
oft do our hearts say, Jt is best being here I And how
contented arc we with an earthly portion ! So that I
fear, .GoU would displease most of us more to affiict

1 8-1 The Saints^ Everlasting JResU

us here, and promise us rest hereafter, than to give u»
our hearts' desire on earth, though he had never made
us a promise of heaven. As if the creature without
God, were better than God without the creature.
Alas, how apt are we, like foolish children, when we
are busy at cur sports and worldly employments, to
forget both our father and our home 1 Therefore it
is a hard thing for a rich man to enter into heaven,
becvkuse it is hard for hira to value it more than earth,
and not think he is well already. Come to a man that
hath the world at will, and tell him, This is not your
happiness, you have higher things to look after ; and
how little will he regard you ? But when affliction
comes, it speaks convincingly, and will be heard when
■preachers cannot.

Sometimes a sincere man begins to be lifted up with
applause ; and sometimes being in health and prospe-
rity, he hath lost his relish of Christ, and the joys
above ; till God break in upon his liches, and scatter
them abroad, or ui>on his children, or upon his consci-
ence, or upon the health of his body, and break down
his mount which he thought so strong : and then when
he lieth in Manassah's fetters, or is fastened to his feed
with pining sickness, O \ihat an opportunity hath the
Spirit to plead with his soul ! When the world is worth
Rothing, then htaven is worth something.

Kow oft have I been ready to think myself at home,
till sickness hath roundly told me, I was mistaken \
And hovv^ apt yet to fall into the same disease, which
prevaileth till it be removed by the same cure ! If our
dear Lord did not put these thorns into our bed, wc
should sleep out our lives, and lose our glory.

3. Consider, afflictions are God*s most effectual
means, to keep us from straggling out of the way t»
eur rest. If he had not set a hedge of thorns on the
right hand, and on the left, we should hardly heep the

The Sa'mts* Everlasting Rest. 185

way to heaven : if there be but one gap open without
these thorns, how ready are we to turn out at it ? But
w hen we cannot go astray, but these thorns will prick
us, perhaps we will be content to hold the way. When
we grow wanton or worldly, or proud ; what a nota-
ble means js sickness, or other affliction, to reduce
us ? It is every christian, as well as Luther, that may
call affliction one of his best school-masters. Many a
one as well as David, may say by experience, Before
J vjas afflicted I r^^ent a-'itray^ but noiv have I kcfit thy
firecefits. Many a tiiousand poor recovered sinners may
cry, O healthful sickness! O comfortable sorrows ! O
, gainful losses ! O enriching poverty ! Ob]es<?ed day,
that ever I was afflicted ! It is not only " the pleasant
streams, and the green pastures, but his rod and staff al-
so that are our comfort." Though I know it is the
word and Spirit that do the v/ork ; yet certainly the
time of suffering is sd opportune a season, that the same
word will take them then, wliicii before was scarce
observed ; it doth so unbolt the door of the heart, that
a minister or a friend may then be lieard, and the word
may have easier entrance to the aflfections.

A.. Consider, afflictions are God's most efftctual
means, to make us mend our pace in the way to our
rest. They are his rod, and his spur : what sluggard
will not awake and stir when he feelcth them ? It were
well if mere love would prevail with us, and that we
.were rather drawn to heaven, than driven : but see-
ing our hearts are so bad, that mercy v»'ill not do it ;
it is better we be put on with the sharpest scourgCj
than loiter out our time till the doors are shut.

O what a difference is there betwixt our prayers in
health and in sickness 1 betwixt our prosperity and ad-
versity-repentings 1 He that before had not a tear to
shed, or a groan to utter, now can sob, and sigh, and
weep ; he that was wont to be like a block in prayer,
€i2

I8G The Sa'mtiP Everlast'nig Kesu

and scarce minded what he said to God : now afilic-
lion presseth him down, how earnestly can he beg i
how doth he mingle his prayers and his tears ! And
cry out, what a person he will be, If God will but
hear him and deliver him ! Alas ! if we did not some-
times feel the spur, what a slow pace would most of
*is hold toward heaven !

Seeing then what our vile natures require, why
thould Ave be imwilling God should do us i;ood by a
sharp means ? Sure that is the best dealing for us
which surest and soonest doth furtlier us for heaven.
I leave thee, christian, to judge by thy own experi-
ence, whether thou dost not go more watchfully, and
lively, and speedily in thy way to rest, in thy suffer-
ings, than thou dost in thy more pleasing and pros-
perous state.

Lastly, consider God doth seldom give his people
so sweet a fore-taste of their future rest, as in their
deep aiilictions. He keepeth his most precious cordi-
als fer the time of our greatest faintings and dangers.
God is not so lavish of his choice favours as to be-
stow them unseasonably : he gives them at so fit a
fime, when he knoweth they are needful, and will be
valued ; and when he is sure to be thanked for them,
and his people rejoiced by them. Especially, when
our sufferings are more directly for his cause, then
doth he seldom fail of sweetening the bitter cup.
Therefore have the martyrs been possessors of the high-
est joys, and therefore were they so ambitious of mar-
tyrdom. I do not think that Paul and Silas did ever
sing more joyfully, than when they were sore with
scourging, and fast in the inner prison, with their
feet in the stocks. When did Christ preach such com-
forts to his disciples, and assure them of his provid-
ing them mansions with himself, but when he was
ready to leave them, and their hearts were sorrowful
because of his departure I When did he appear ainong

The Sainti* Everlasting Rest, ls7

them, and say, peace be unto yciiy but when they were
shut up together for fear of the persecuting Jews ?
When did Stephen sec heaven opened, but when he
was giving up his life for the testimony of Jesus ?
And though we be never put to the sufferings of mar-
tyrdom, yet God knoweth that in our natural suffer-
ings we need support.

Seeing then that the time of affliction, is the time
of our most pure, spiritual, and heavenly joy, for
the most part ; why should a christian think it so bad
a time ? Is not that our best estate, wherein we have
most of God ? Why else do we desire to come to
heaven ? If wc look for a heaven of fleshly delights,
we shall fmd ourselves mistaken. Conclude then, that
affliction is not so bad a state in our way to rest, as
the flesh would make it. Are we wiser than God ?
Doth not he know what is good for us better than
wc ? Or is he not as careful of our good, as we are
of our own ? Ah, wo to us if he were not much more !
An«l if he did not love us better than we love either
him or ourselves !

But let us hear a little what it is that we can object.

1 . Oh, saith one, I could bear any other affliction
•ave this : if God had touched me in any thing else,
I could have undergone it patiently ; but it is my
dearest friend, or child, or wife, or my health itself.

I answer, it seemeth God hath hit the right vein,
where thy most inflamed, distempered blood did lie :
it is his constant course to pull down men's idols, and
take away that which is dearer to them than himself.
There it is that his jealousy is kindled ; and tlierc it
is that the soul is most endangered. If God should
have taken from ihee that which thou canst let go for
him, and not that which thou canst not ; or have af-
flicted thee where thou canst bear it, and not where

t88 The Saints' Everlasting ReM*

thou canst not ; thy idol would neither have been dis*
covered nor removed ; this would neither have been
a sufficient trial to thee, nor a cure, but hare con-
firmed thee in thy idolatry.

Object. 2. Oh, but saith another, if God would
but deliver me out of it at last, I could be content
to bear it : but I have an incurable sickness, or I
am like to live and die in poverty, or disgrace, or
distress.

I answer, 1 . Is it nothing that he hath promised,
it shall tvcrkfor thy good ? Rom. viii. 28. and that ivith
the affliction he will make a tvay to escafie ? that he
will be with thee in it ? and deliver thee in the fittest
manner and season ?

2. Is it not enough that thou art sure to be deli-
vered at death, and that with so full a deliverance ?
Oh, what cursed unbelief doth this discover in our
hearts ! That we would be more thankful to be turn-
ed back aiA'ain into the stormy sea of the world, than
to be safely and speedily landed at our rest ! And
"tvould be more glad of a few years inferior mercies at
a distance, than to enter upon the eternal inheritance
with Christ! Do we call God our chief good, and
heaven o\ir happiness ? and yet is it no mercy or de-
liverance to be taken hence, and put into that pos-
session ?

Object. 3. Oh, but saith another, if my affliction
did not disable me for duty, I could bear it ; but it
maketh me useless and utterly unprofitable.

Answ. 1. For that duty which tendeth to thy own
benefit, it doth not disable thee ; but is the greatest
help that thou canst expect. Thou usest to com]v);iin
of coldness, and dulness and worldhness, and securi-
ty *. if affliction will not help thee jigainst all these,

The Saints' Everlasting Rest. 189

fey waiTiirig;, quickening, rousinp; thy spirit, I know
not what will. Sure thou wilt repent thoroughly, and
pray fervently, and mind God and heaven more se-
riously, either now or never.

2. As for duty to others, and service to the church,
it is not thy duty when God doth disable thee. He
may call thee out of the vineyard in this respect, eve»
before he call thee by death. If he lay thee in the
grave and pat others in thy place, is this any wrong
to thee ? So if he call thee out before thy death, and
set others to do the work; shouldst thou not be as well
content ? Must God do all the work by thee ? Hath
he not many others as dear to him, and as fit for the
employment ? But alas, what deceitfulness lieth in
these hearts ! When we have time, and health, and
opportunity to work, then we loiter, and do our
Master but poor service : but when he laycth afRicti-
on upon us, then we complain that he disableth us for
his work, and yet perhaps we are still negligent in
that part of tlie ^vork which we can do. So, Vv^hen
we are in health and prosperity we forget the public,
and are careless; of other men's miseries and wa.nts, and
mind almost nothing but ourselves ; but v, hen Gcd
aiHicteth us, though he excite us more to duty for our-
selves, yet we complain that he disableth us for our
duty to others : as if on a sudden we were grown so
charitable, that we regard other men's souls more than
our own ! But is not the hand of flesh in all this dis-
simulation, pleading its own cause ? What pride of
heart is this, to think that other men cannot do the
work as wril as we ! Or that God cannot see to his
church, and provide for his people, without us I

Object. 4. Oh, but saith another, it is my friends
that are my afflicters: they disclaim me, andw ill scarce
look at me : they censure me, and backbite me, and
slander me, and look upon me with a disdainful eye j
if it wwe otheiS; I could wesu- it, I look f<?r no be^r

190 The Saints'* EverJastin^ Rest,

from them : but when those that are my delight, and
that I looked for comfort and refreshing from, whe^i
those are as thorns in my sides, who can bear it ?

Ansvv. 1. Whoever i»the instrument, the affliction
is from God, and the provolving cause from thyself :
and were it not fitter that thou look more to God
and thyself ?

2. Dost thou not know, that good men are still sin-
ful in part ? and that their hearts are naturally deceit-
ful, and desperately wicked, as well as others ? Learn
therefore a better lesson from the prophet, Micah vii.
5, 6, 7. *' Trust not (too much) in a friend, nor put
confidence in a guide : keep the doors of thy mouth
from her that lieth in thy bosom : but look rather for
the Lord, and wait for the God of thy salvation."

-3. It is likely thou hast given tliat love and titist Xb
men, which was due only to God; or which thou
hast denied him : and then no wonder if lie chastise
thee by them. If we would use our friends as friends,
God would make them our helps and comforts : but
Tvhen once we make them our gods, by excessive love
and trust, then he suffers them to be our accusers and
tormentors : it is more safe to me to have any crea-
ture a satan than a god : to be tormented ])y them
than to idolize them. Till thou hast learned to suflcr
from the good, as well as the ungodly, never look to
live a contented or comfortable life, nor ever think
thou hast truly learned the art of suffering.

Object. Oh, but if I had that consolation, which
you say God reserveth for our suffering times, I
should suffer more contentedly : but I do not perceive
any such thing.

Answ. 1. The more ypu suffer for righteousness-
sake, the mpre of this blessing; you may expect ; nniJ

The SainU^ Everlasing ResU 19t

the more you suffer for your own evil-doing, tl^
longer you must look to stay till that sweetness come.
When we have by our iolly provoked Ciod to chastise
us, shall we presently look that he should till us with
comfort ? ** That were (as Mr. Paul Bayn saith) to
" make affliction to be no affliction." What good
would the bitttrncss do us, if it be presently drowned
in that sweetness ? It is well in such suffciings, if you
have but supporting grace ; and if your sufferings are
sanctified to work out your sin.

2. Do you not neglect or resist the comforts which
you desire ? God hath filled precepts and promises,
and other of his providences, with matter of ccmfoit ;
if you overlook all these, and observe one cross more
than a thousand mercies, who maketh you uncomfort-
able but yourselves ? If you resolve you will not be
comfortable as long as any thing aileth your flesh, yoH
may stay till death, before you have comfort.

3. Have your afflictions wrought kindly with yoa
and fitted you for comfort ? Have they humbled you,
and brought you to a faithful confession and reforma-
tion of your beloved sin ? and made you set close to
your neglected duties ? and weaned your hearts from
their former idols ? and brought them unfeignedly to
take God for their portion and their rest I If this be
not done, how can you expect comfort ? Should God
bind up the sore while it festereth at the bottom ? It is
not mere suffering that prepares you for comfort; but
the success and fruit of suffering upon your hearts.

i1J2 Tht Satnti^ Everkstlng ReH*

CHAP. XI.

An Exhortation to those that have got Assurance
of this Rest^ that they would do all they possi-
bly can ts help others to it,

HATH God set before us such a glorious pilze
at this everlasting Rest, and made man capable
of such an inconceivable happiness ? Why then do not
all the children of this kingdom besfu' themselves mor«
to help others to the enjoyment of it ? Alas, how lit-
tle arc poor souls about us, beholden to the most of us ?
We sec the glory of the kingdom, and they do not,:
we see the misery and torment of those that miss of it,
and they do not : we sec them wandering quite out of
the way, and know if they hold on, they can never
come there ; and they discern not this themselves.
And yet we will not set upon them seriously, and shew
them their danger and error, and help to bring them
into the way that they may live. Alas, how few
christians are there to be found, that live as men that
are made to do good, and that set themselves w^ith all
their might to the saving of souls I No thanks to us if
heaven be not empty, and if the souls of our brethren
perish not for ever.

But because this is a duty which so many neglect,
and so few are convinced that God doth expect it at
their hands, and yet a duty of so high concernment
to the glory of God, and the happiness of men ; I
will speak of it somewhat the more largely, and shew
you, 1. Wherein it doth consist. 2. What is the
cause that it is so neglected. 5. Give some considera-
tions to persuade you to the performance of it, and
others to the bearing of it. 4. Apply this more par-
ticularly to some persons whom it doth nearly con-
cern.

1 . I would have you well understand what is this
^voik which I am persuading you to. Know then on
the negative.

1. It is not to invade the office of the ininistry, and
every man to turn a public preacher. I would not
liave you go beyond the bounds of your callin.i^ : we
see by daily experience, what fruits those men's teach-
ing dolh bring forth, who run uncalled of God, and
thrust themselves into the place of public teachers,
thinking themselves the fittest for the work in tlie
pride of their hearts, while they had need to be taught
the very principles of religion : how little doth God
bless the labours of these self-conceited intruders, even
if they be ordained I

2. Neither do I persuade you to a zealous promoting
of factions and parties, and venting of unceridin opi-
nions, which men's salvation is little concerned in.
Alas, what advantage hath the devil always got in the
church by this imposture ! The time that should be
employed in drawing men's souls from sin to Christ, is
employed in drawing them to opinions and parties :
when men are fallen in love with their own conceits,
and think themselves the wisest, how diligently do
they labour to get them followers ? as if to make a
man a proselyte to their opinions, were as happy a
work as to convert him to Christ ? and when they fall
among the lighter, ignorant sort of men, whose reli-
gion is all in the brain, and on their ton9:ue, they
seldom fail of success. These men shall shortly know,
that to bring a man to the knowledge and love of
Christ, is another kind of work than to bring him to

.^e baptised again or to be of such a church, or such
a side. Unhappy are the souls that are taken in their
snare ; who when they have spent their lives in con-
tending for the circumstantials of religion, whicji
should have been spent in studying and loving the

R

1-94- The Saints* Exjerlastinj^ Rest

Lord Jesus, do in the end reap an empty harvest?
suitable to their empty profession.

3. Nor do I persuade you to speak ap^ainst men's
faults behind their backs, and be silent btforc iheir
faces, as the cor.mion custom of the world is. To
tell other men of their faults, tendeth little 'o their
reformation, if they hear it not themselves. To
whisper mcn*s faults to others, as it cometh not from
love, nor from an honest principle, so usually doth it
produce no good effect : for if the party hear not of
it, it canno*. better him ; if he do he will take it but
as the reproach of an enemy, ai.d not as the faithful
counsel of a fi iend, and as that which is spoken to make
him odious, and not to make him viituous ; it tend-
eth not to provoke to godlinoss, but to raise conten-
tion ; for a 'U'hi after cr stjuiratfth chief friend*. And
how few shall we find that iijake conscience of this
horrible sin ? or, that wili confess it, and bewail it,
v.hen they a^e rcprvrhended for it ? especially if men
are speaking; of tiieir enemies, or those that have
AVTOii'^fd them ; or whom they suppose to have Avrong-
ed them^ ov if it be of o'le that eclipscth their glory,
or tiiat st-.nrleth in the way of their gain or esteem : or
if it be one that dil^L-reth from them in judprment ; or
of one that h) commonly spoken ai^ainst l>y others;
"who is it tiiat maweth any conscience of backbitin,:^
such as these ? And you shall ever observe, that the
forwarder they are to backl;iting. the more backward
always to faithful admonishing ; and none speak less
of a man's far- Its to his face, than those that speak
most of them bcl.ind his back.

So far am I from pc^siiading therefore to this pre-
posterous course, that I would advise you to oppose it
wherever you meet with it. See that you never hear
a man spcakinj^; against his neighbour behind his back
(witho'.it so nc* sp^-c.ial cause or call) but presently re-
buke him : ask him, whether he hath spoken those

The Saints^ Everlasting Rest, 195

tliini^s in a way of love to his face ? if he hath not,
ask liim. how he da.re to pervert 00(1*^8 prescribed or-
der, vviio commandcth to rebuke our neighlicur plain-
ly, a lid to tell him lils fault first in private and then
before witness, till he sec whether he will be won.,
or not And how he dare do as he would not be
done by ?

The duty therefore that I would press you to is of
another nature, and it consisteth in these things fol-
lowing :

1. That you get your hearts afPected with the mise-
ry of your brethren's souls : be compassionate towards
them; yearn after their salvation. If you did earnest-
ly long after their conversion, and your hearts were
fully set to do thcni good, it would set you on work,
and God would usually blcbs it.

2. Take all opportunities that possibly you can, t©
instruct and help them to the attaining of salvation.
And lest you should not know how to manage this
wor';, let me tell you more particularly what you are
herein to do. 1 . If it be an ignorant person you have
to deal wit'n, who ii an utter stranger to the mysteries
of religion and to the work of regeneration, the first
thinv you have to do, is, to acquaint him with these
doctrines : labour to make him understand wherein
man's chief happiness doth consist ; and how far he
was once possessed of it ; and Avhat law and covenant
Cod then made with him ; and how he broke it ; and
V. hat penalty he incurred, and what misery he brought
himself into thereby ; teach him what need men had
of a Redeemer; and how ('hrist in mercy did inter-
pose, and bear the penalty ; and what covenant now
he hath, made with man ; and on v/hat terms only sal-
vation is nov*- to be attained ; and what course Christ
taketh to draw men to himself; and what are Xhr:
richts and privileges that believers have in him.

i 56 The Saints' Everlasthiff Fesi,

o

li when he understands these things, he be not m©v-
cd by tliem ; or if you find that the stop lieth in his
will and afTection?, and in the hardness of his heart,
and In the interest that the flesh and the world have |?ot
in him ; then sliew him the excellency of the glory
which he neglecteth, and the intolerableness of the loss
of it, and the extremity and eternity of the torments of
the damned, and how certainly they must endure them;
and how just it is for their wilful refusals of grace j
and how heinous a sin it is to reject such free and abun-
dant mercy, and to tread under foot the blood of the
covenant: shew him the certainty, nearness and terrors
of death and judgment, and thtf vanity of all things
below, which now he is taken up with ; and how lit-
tle they will bestead him in that time of his extremity.
Shew him that by nature he himself is a child of wrath,
an enemy to God ; and by actual sin n\uch more : shew
him the vile and heinous nature of sin ; the absolute
necessity he standeth in of a Saviour ; thefreeness of the
promise ; the fulness of Christ ; the sufficiency of hie
satisfaction ; his readiness to receive all that are wil-
ling to be his ; and the authority and dominion which
he hath purchased over us ; shew him also the absolute
necessity of regeneration, faith and holiness, how im-
possible it is to have salvation by Christ v»ithout these ;
and what they are, and the true nature of them.

If when he understandeth all this, you find his soul
cnthralltd in false hopes, persuading himself that he
13 a true believer, and pardoned, and reconciled, and
shall be saved by Christ, and allthis upon false grounds,
(which is a common case) then urge him hard to exa-
mine his state, shew him the necessity of trying ; the
danger of being deceived ; the commonness and easi-
ness of mistaking through the deccilfulness of the
heart : the extreme madness of puttino: it to a blind ven-
ture ; or of resting in negligent or v/ilful uncertainty :
help him in trying himself: produce some undeniable
evidences from scripture ; ask him, whether these be in

Tii,e Saints^ Everlasting Mtst, 197

Jum or not ? Whether ever he found svtch v»-orkings
or dispositions in his heart ? Urge him to a rational
answer : do not leave him till yon have convinced him
of his ipiscry ; and then seasonably and wisely shew
him the remedy.

If he produce some g;ifts, or duties, or work, know
to what end he doth produce them ; if to join with
Christ in composing; him a righteousness, shew him
how vain and destructive they are : if it be by way of
evidence to prove his title to Christ ; shew him where-
in the life of Christianity doth consist, and how far he
must <,o further, if he will be Clu'ist's disciple. In the
meantime, that he be not discouraged with hearing
of so high a measure, shew him the way by which he
must attain it : be sure to draw him to the use of all
means : set him on hearing and reading tlie word,
calling upon God, accompanying the godly ; per*
suade him to leave his actual sin, and to get out of all
ways of temptation : especially to forsake ungodly
company ; and to wait patiently on God in the use of
means ; and shew him the strong hopes that in so
doing he may have a blessing ; tJiis being the way
that God will be found in.

If you perceive him possessed with any prejudices
against the way of holiness, shew him their false-
hood, and with wisdom and meekness answer his ob-
jections.

If he be addicted to delay duties he is convinced of,
or laziness and stupidity endanger his soul, then lay it
on more powerfully, and set home upon his heart the
most piercing considerations, and labour to fasten them
as thorns in his conscience, that he may find no ease
•r rest till he change his estate.

The Saints'* Everlasting Rat,

But because in all works the manner of doing them
is of greatest moment and the rii^hl performance doth
much further ihe success ; I will here adjoin a few di-
icctions, which you must !)e sure to observe in this
work of exhortatior. ; for it is not every advice that
uselh to succeed, nor any manner of doing it that will
serve the turn. Observe therefore these rules ;

1 . Set upon tlie work sincerely, and with right in-
tentions. Let thy end be the glory of (iod in the
party's salvation. Do it not to get a name or esteem
to thyself; or to bring men to depu-nd upon thee ;
or to get thee many followers : do not as many pa-
rents and masters will do, xnz. rebuke their children
and servants for those sins that displease them, and
are against their profit or their humours, as disobe-
dience, unthrifiincss, uiamanncrliness ; but never
seek in the right way that God hath appointed to save
their souls, liutbe sure, the main end he to recover
them from misery, and bring them into the way of
cleinal rest.

2. Do it speedily : as you would not have them de-
lay their return, so do not thou delay to see'^ their re-
turn. You are purposing long to speaU to such un
igtiorant neighbour, and to deal with such a scanda-
lous sinner, and yet you have never done it. Alas,
he runs (»n the score all this while ; he goes deeper in
d-bt ; wrath is heaping up ; sin taketh rooting : cus-
tom doth more fasten him ; en-agements to sin grow
stronger and more niunerous : conscience grows sear-
ed ; tiio heart grows hardened ; while you delay, the
devil rules and rejoiceth ; Christ is shut out ; the Spi-
rit is repulsed ; ('.od is daily dishonoured ; his lavr
is violated ; he is without a servant, and that service
from him which he should have ; time runs on ; the
day of visitation hasteth ; death and judgment are at
the door : and what if the man die and miss of hea-
ven, while you are purposing to teach him and help

The SainU^ Everlasting I^t^t. 199

him to it ? If in case of his bodily dibtress, you must
not bid him go and come again to-morrow, when
you have it by you ; how much less may you delay
the succour of his soul ? if once death sna'.ch liim away,
lie is then out of the reach of your charily. That
physician is no better than a murderer, that nei^ligent-
iy delayeth, till his patient be dead or pastcuie. De-
lay in duly is a great degree. of disobedience, though
you afterwards perform it. It shews an ill heart tliat
is indisposed to the work. () how many a poor sin-
ner perisheth or grows rooted, and next to incurable
in sin, while we are purposing to seek their recovery \
Opportunities last not always. 'When thou hearcst
that the sinner is dead, or removed, or i»:rown obsti-
nate ; will not conscience say to tliee, how knowest
thou but thou mightest have prevented the damnation
of a soul ? Lay by excuses then, and all lesser busi-
ness, and obey God's command, " exhort one another
daily, while it is called to-day, lest any be hardened
through the deceitfulness of sin."

3. Let thy exhortation proceed from compassion
and love, and let the manner of it clearly shew the
persoPi thou dealest with, that it does. It is not jeer-
in^-, or scorning, or reproaching a man for his fault,
that is a likely way to work his reformation : nor is
it the right way to convert him to (iod, to rail at
him, and vilify him with words of disr-race. jMen
will take them for their enemies that thus deal with
them : and the words of an enemy are little persuad-
ing. Lay by your passion therefore, and go to poor
sinners with tears in your eyes, that they may see you
indeed believe them to be miserable ; and tiiat you un-
feignedly pity their case : deal with them with earn-
est humble entrealin?;s. Let them see that your very
bowels yearn over them, and that it is the very desire
of your ht:a?'ts to do them good : let them perceive
that you have no other end but the procu'-ing their
everlasting happiness : and that it j& your sense of their

.i(X) The Saints'* Everlastmg Rc^.

dancfer, and your love to their sonls that forces you
to speak ; even because you know the terrors of the
Lord, and for fear lest you should sec them in eternal
torments. Say to them, Why, friend, you know it
is no advantai^c of my own that I seek. The wuy to
please you, and to ke^'p your friendship, were to
sooth you in your ov.n way, or to let you alone ; btit
love will not surTer me lo see yon perish, and be si-
lent ; I seek noihin^v «t your hands, but that which
is necessary to your own happiness. It is yourself
that will have the gain and comfort, if you come in
to Christ. If men would tiius p;o to every ignorant
wicked ncit^hbom- they have, end thus deal with them,
O vvliat blessed fruit should we quickly set I

I am ashamed to hear some lazy hypocritical
wretches rcvil'? their poor ignorant neighbours* and
separate from their company, and judge them unfit
for their society, before ever they once tried theHa
with this compassionate exhortation ! O you little
know what a prevailing course this were like to prove I
and how few of the vilest drunixards or swearers
would prove so obstinate, as wholly to reject or des-
pise the exhoitations of love I I knew it must be
(iod that must chan -e men*s hearts ; but 1 know also
that God worVeth by mt^ans- and when he meaneth
to prevail with men. he usually fitteth the means ac-
cordingly, and stirreth up men to plead with them in
a prevailing way, and so selleth in with his grace,
and makelh it successful. Certainly, those that have
tried can tell you 1)y experience, that there is no way
so ])revailing with men, as the way of -compassion and
love. So much of these as they discern in your ex-
hortation, usually so much doth it succeed with their
hcnrts : and therefore 1 beseech those that are faith-
ful, to practise this course. Alas, we see most peo-
ple amon r us, yea, those that would seem godly, can-
not bear a reproof that comes not in mee' ncss and
love I if there be the least jiassion, or relish of disgrace

The Samts^ Everlasting Rest. 201

in it, they are ready to spit in your face. Yea, if
you do not sweeten your reproof with fair words,
they cannot digest it, but their heart will raise up
against you instead of a thankful submission and a re-
formation. O that it were not too evident that the
Pharisee is yet aHve in the breasts of many thousands
that seem religio\is. even in this one point of bear-
ing plain and shaq) reproof ! " They bind heavy bur-
dens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's
shoulders ; but they themselves will not move them
with one of their fingers, Matt, xxiii. 4. So far arc
they from doing, in this, as they would be done by.

4. Another direction I v/ould irive you, is this : do
it with all possible plainness and faithfulness. Do
not dally with men, and hide from them their misery
or danger, or any part of it. Do not make their sins
less than they are ; nor speak of them in extenuating
language. Do not encourage them in a false hope,
no more than you would discourage the fond hopes
of the ri >;hteous. If you see his case dangerous, tell
him plainly of it : Neighbour, I am afraid God hath
not yet renewed your soul ; and that it is yet a stran-
ger to the great work of regeneration and sanctifica-
tion : I doubt you are not yet recovered from the
power of Satan to God, nor l3rought out of the state
of wrath which you were born in, and have lived in :
I doubt you have not chosen Christ above all, nor set
your heart upon him, nor unfei-nedly taken him for
your sovereign Lord. If you had, sure you durst not
so easily disobey him : you could not so neglect him
and his worship in your family and in pitl3};c : yoU
could not so eagerly follow the world, and talv of al-
most nothing but the things of this world, while "Christ
is seldom mentioned by you. If you were in Christ,
you would become a new creature : old things would
be passed away, and all thingPj would bccouie new .*
you would have new thoughts, and new talk, and new
<::ompany, and new endeavours, and a riew conversa-

i20« The Saints' Evcrhst'my Pest.

o

' ■ ■ rcrtainly wit'mut these you can never be saved -.
y »«i uny think otlui ui.se, Rnd hope l)elter as lo:
yo'.i will, ijiii your hopes will dt-ceivc youi and p
"wiih ycni. Mns ! it is not a.-* you will, nor as 1 will,
who shall he savcc*, hy\f it is hs (iod will; and (iod
ha»h told lis, Dial '' without hoVnu*ss none sImII sec liim :
an. I 'xrr j>t vPc he lH)rn a,t;.iin, we cannot enter into hi*
kinf»d'>m. And that all tliat would not have Christ to
rritcn owr theTi, shall be broni^ht forth and destroyed
before him ;" O therefore look to your state in time.

Thus must you deal roundly and faithfvd*y with
men, if ever you inifud lo do them grood. It is not
hovering at a distance in ac^'ncral discourse that w»il
serve tlie turn : it is not in rurinti; men's souls, as in
curing ihci Imdics where they must not know th^rir
dan.e;er, lo.t it saddtn llitin, an • hinder llie cure.
Tiicy are here atjents in their own cure, and if th^y
knov' not their misery, tliey will never l>ewail it, nor
know how much nvcd they have of a Saviour ; if they
know n -i the woist, they will not labour to pi event
it; but will sit stiil or loiter till thoy drop into per-
dition, and will trifle out their time till it be too late :
and thcv'jfore speak to men,- as Christ to tjie Piiarisees,
till i!;cy kT)ew thut he mermt them. Deal plainly, or
you do but deceive and destroy them.

^. \nd as you mtiht do it plainly, so also seriously,
zealously, and effecturlly. The exceeding stupidity
auul dea Iness of ir/n's hearts is such, that no otl.er
dcali-ij; will ordinarily work. You must call aloud to
av/ukc a man in a swoon or lethargy. If you speak
lo t.ljc conjmon sort of men, of the evil of llu;ir sin,
' « 'heir need of Clirlst, of ihe danp;er of their souls,

id of the neeesshy ofrejj^eneration, they will weaiilv
iind unwiHin?:^ly j^ive you the hearino;, and i)ut of!' all
with a siii^h, or a few pood wishes, and say, (iod
fj .'.r us, we arr aU .wV//;rr.v, and there is an end. If
c • • (Ai will do tl.em good therefore, you must sharp-

Ths Sainia^ Everlastin<{ Rest, 203

o

en your exhortations, and set it heme, ai^l follow it,
till you have roused them up, and niyde them bet'iu
to look about thtm. Let them know that ihou speuk-
cst not to ihcm of indiiicr^nt tilings, nor about chil-
dren*.^ g-ames, or matters of a few days or years cou-
tinuance, nor yet about matters of uncertainty, v. hich
may never come to pass : but it is about th.e savinji;
and damning of their souls ?nd bodies ; and whetlier
they shall be blessed with Christ, or tormented Avith
devils, and that for ever and ever ; it is, how to stand
before God in judgment, and what answer to give,
and how they are like to speed ; and this judi.' rp.ent
and eternal s'ate they shall very shortly see, tbey are
almost at it ; yet a few more nights and duvs, and
they shall be at that last day : a few more bce^^ths,
they have to breathe, and they shall breathe their last ;
and then as certainly shall they see that mighty cha;ge,
as the heaven is over their heads, and the carlh updcr
their feet. O labour to make men know, that it i«
mad jesting- about salvation or damnation ; and that
heaveij and hell are not matters to be played v.ith or
passed over with a few careless thoughts ! It is most
certain that one of these days thou shalt be eitutr in
everlasting, unchangeable joy or tornicnt ; an<i doth
it not awake thee r Are there so few that lind the way
of death ? Is it so hard to escape I so easy to miscarry ?
And that while we fear nothing, bv.t think all is well?
And yet you sit still and trifle ! Why, what do you
mean ? What do you think on ? The world is passin{j
away : its pleasures are fading : its honours are ieav-
int*- you : its pronts will prove unprofitable to you :
heaven or htll are a little before you ; God is just,
and jealous ; his threatenings are true : the great day
of his judgment will be terrible ; your time runs on :
your lives are uncertain : yoy are far behind iiaud :
you have loitertd Jong: your caJ^e is dangerous:
your souls are far gone in sin : you are strange to
God : you are hardened in evil customs : you have
np assurance of comfc: t :c shew : if you die tc-mov-

204 The Saints'* Everlasting Rest,

row, how unready are you ! And with what terror
will your souls go out of your bodies 1 And do you
yet loiter ? Why, consider, God standeth all this
while waiting your leisure : his patience beareth : his
justice forbeareth : his mercy entreateth you : Christ
standeth ofierins^ you his blood and merits : you may
have him freely, and life with him : the Spirit is per-
suading- : conscience is accusini^* and urging you :
ministers are praying for you, and calling upon you :
Satan stands waiting when justice will cut off your
lives, that he may have you : this is your time : now,
or never. What 1 had you rather lose heaven than
your profits or pleasures ( Had you rather burn in hell,
than repent on earth ? Had you rather howl and roar
there, than pray day and night for mercy here ? Or
have devils your tormentors, than Christ your gover-
nor ? Will you renounce your part in God and glory,
r'Kther than renounce your sins ? Do you think a holy
life too much for heaven : or too dear a course to pre-
vent endless misery ? Oh friends, what do you think
of these thinsrs ? God hath made you men, and en-
dued you with reason : do you renounce your reason
where you should chiefly use it ? In this manner you
must deal roundly and seriously with men. Alas ! it
is not a few dull words between jest and earnest, be-
tween sleep and waking, as it were, that will awaken
an ignorant dead-hearted sinner. When a dull hearer,
and a dull speaker meet together, a dead heart, and
a dead exhortation ; it is unlike to have a lively effect.
If a man fall down in a swoon, you will not stand
trifling with him, but lay hands on him presently,
and snatch him up, and rub him- and call aloud to
him : if a house be on fire, you will not in a cold strain
go tell your neie:hbour of it, or make an oration
of the nature and danger of fire ; but you will run out
and cry, fire, fire : matters of moment must be serious-
ly deait with. To tell a man of his sin so softly as
Eli did his sons, or reprove him so gently as Jehosha-
phat did Ahab, Let not the ki?i,^ say so, doth usually

Ihe Sahits* Everlasting Rest. iJOj

as iijuch harm as good. I am persuadedthe very man-
ner of some men's reproof and exhortation, hath hard-
ened many a sinner in the way of destruction. To
tell them of sin, or of heaven or hell, in a dull, easy,
careless language, doth make men think you are not
in good earnest; but scarce think yourselves such things
are true. O, sirs, deal with sin as sin,andspeall of hea-
ven and hell as they are, and notas if your Mere in jest.
I confess I have failed much in this myself, the Lord
lay it not to my charge ! Lothness to displease men,
makes us undo them.

6. Yet lest you run into extremes, I advise you fo
do it with discretion. Be as serious as you can ; but
yet with wisdom. And especially you must be wise
in these things following :

! . In choosing the fittest season for your exhorta-
tion ; not to deal with men when they are in a passion,
or where they will take it for a disgrace. Men should
observe, when sinners are fittest to hear instruct ens.
Physic must not be given at all limes, but in season.
It is an excellent example that Faul givethus, Cal. ii.2.
He communicated the gospel to them- yet privately
to them of reputation, lest he should run in vein.
Some men would take this to be a sir.ful crmplying
with their corruption, to yield so far to their pride
and bashfulness, as to teach them only in private, be-
cause they would be ashamed to own the truth in pub-
lic : but Paul knew how great a hindrance men's re-
putation is to their entertiiinir g cf the tiuth. and that
the remedy must not only be fitted to the disease, tut
also to the strength of the patient, ard that in so do-
ing, the physician is not guilty of favouring the
disease, but is praise-worthy lor takinc; the riL>ht way
to cure. Means will work easily if you take'the op-
portunity ; when the earth is soft, ti.e pkugh will en-
ter. Take a man when he is under ftfliiction, or in

6

206 The Sahiis Everlasting JRcsL

the house of mourning or ne\y]y stirred by some mov*
ing sermon, and then set it home, and you may do
him some good. Christian faithfulness doth require
us, not only to do good when it falls in our way, but
to watch for opportunities.

2. lie wise also in suiting your exhortation to the
quality and temper of the person. All meats are not
foridl stomachs : one man will vomit that up which
another will digest. 1. If it be a learned, or ingeni-
ous rational man, you must deal more by convincing
arguments and less by passionate persuasions. 2. If
it be one that is both ignorant and stupid, there is
need of both. 3: If one that is convinced, but not
converted, you must use most those means that rouse
the affections. 4. If they be obstinate and secure, you
must reprove them sharply. 5. If they be of timorous,
tender natures, they must be tenderly dealt with. All
cannot bear that rough dealing that some can. Love
and plainness, aiid seriousness, Jake with all ; but words
of terror some can scarce bear.

3. You must be wise also in using th-e aptest expres-
sions. Many a minister doth deliver most excellent
matter in such harsh and unsceming language, that it
makes the hearers loathe the food thatlhey should live
by, and laugh at a sermon that might make them
quake: especially if they be men of curious eai^, and
carnal hearts, and have more wit and part& than the
speaker. Ar.d so it is in private cx/iortation as well as
public: if you clothe the most amiable truth in the
sordid rags of ur>bcseeming language, you will make
men disdain it, though it be the offspring of God,
^nd of the highest nature.

4. Let all your reproofs and exhortations be backed
with the authority of God. Let the sinner be ct^n-
vinced that you speak not from yourselves or of your
giv^ head. Shew them the very words of scripiure for

7/.r ^,,,ncs' Ever fas fln,[{ Rent

<:>

what you say : press them ^vith the truth and author
ity of God :' ask them, Whether they believe tba^
tliis is his word, and that his word is true. So much,
of God as appeareth in our words, so much will they
take. The voice of man is contemptible : bnt the
voice of God is awful and terrible. Be snvc therefore
to make them know, that you speak nothintj; but v/hat
. God Katli spoken first.

5. You must also be frequent witli men in this du-
ty of exhortation ; it is not once or twice that usually
will prevail. If God himself must l>e constantly so-
licited, as if importunity could prevail witJi him when
nothing else can ; and therefore requires us ahvayfi to
pray and not to faint : the same course, no doubt,
Avill be mnst prevailing with men. Therefore Ave are
commanded, " to exhort one another daily, and with
all long-suffering :" the fire is not always brought out
of the flint at one stroke : nor men's affections kin-
dled at the first exhortation. And if they were, yet
if they be no^ followed, they avIII soon ;-,row cold again.
Weary out sinners with your loving and earnest en-
treaties ; follow them and give them no rest in their
sin. This is true charity, and this is the way to save
men*s souls ; and a course that will afford you com-
fort upon a review.

6. Strive to bring all your exliortations to an issue ^
stick not in the wor^^ done, but look after the success.
I have long observed it in ministers and private men,
that if they speak never so convincing words, and yet
all their care is over when they have 'done their speech,
pretendin >• that having done their duty, they leave the
issue to God : these men seldom prosper in their la-
bours : but l-hose whose very heart is set upon the
wor;c, and that long to see it take for the hearers con-
version, and use to encjuire how it speeds, God usual-
ly blesseth their labours, though more weak. Labo ur
therefore to drive all your speechesto the desired issU^.

:i205 TVitr Sa'mtiP Everlasting Rest,

If you are reproving sin, cease not till (if it may be)
you have got the sinner to promise you to leave it, and
to avoid the occasions of it : if you are exhorting to
a duty, ur.'-e the party to promise you presently to set
upon it. if you would draw them to Christ, leave
them not, till you have naade them confess that their
present state is miserable, and not to be rested in : and
till they have subscribed to the necessity of a change .;
O that all christians would be persuaded to take tiiis
course with all their neighbours that are yet enslaved
to sin, and strangers to Chrisl !

7. Lastly, Be sure your example exhort as well as
your words. Let them see you constant in all the du-
ties you persuade them to : let them see in your lives
that excellency above the world, which you persuade
them to in your speeches. Let them see by your
constant labours for heaven, that you indeed believe
what you would have them believe.

And tluis I have opened to you the first and great
part of this duty, consisting in private exhortation,
for the helping of poor souls to this rest, that have yet
no title to it ; and I have shewed you also the manner
how to perform it. I will now speak a little of the
next part.

♦
1 . Besides the duty of private admonition, you must
do yourutmost endeavours to help men to profitby the
public ordinances. And to that end, First, do your
endeavours forthe pvocuringof faithful ministers where
they are wanting.' This is God's ordinary means of
convertinr and saving, How shall they hear ivithout. a
firca'-her ? Not only for your own sakes therefore, but
for the poor miserable ones about you, do all you can
to bring this to pass. Improve all your interest and
diligence to this end. Ride, and go, and seek, and
make friends, till you prevail. Who knoweth how

Sarnts' E^^crlastlnrr Re^t, 20i)

li

many souls may bless you, who have been converted
by the ministry which you have procured It is an
hii^her and nobler work of charity, than if you give
idi that you have to relieve their bodies.

How small a matter M^ere it (and yet how excellen
a work) for every gentleman of means or fortune, to
cull out some one or two, or more poor boys in the
country schools> who are the choicest wits, and of the
most pious dispositions, who are poor and unable to
proceed in learning : and to maintain them till they
are fit for the ministry ? It were but keeping a few
superiiuous attendants the less, if they had hearts to
it, it were easily spared out of their rich apparel, ot
superiiuous diet ; I dure say, they would not be sorry
for it when they come to their reckoning : one sump-
tuous feast, or one costly suit of apparel, would main-
tain a poor boy a year or two at the university, who
perhaps might come to have more tiue worth in him^
than many a glittering lord, and to do Cod more ser-
vice in his church, than ever they did with all their
estates and power.

?. And when you enjoy the blessing of the gospel,
you must use your utmost diligence to help poor souls
to receive the fruit of it. To which end you must
draw them constantly to hear and attend it : mind
them often of what they have heard : draw them if
it be possible, to repeat it in their families ; if that
cannot be, then draw them to come to others that da
repeat it ; that so it may not die in the hearing. The
very drawing of men into the company and acquaint-
ance of the good man, besides the benefit they have
by their endeavours, is of singular use to the rccove-
ly of their souls. It is a means to take off prejudice,
by confuting the world's slanders of tlie ways and
people of God. Use therefore often to meet toge-
the;^ besides the more public meeting in the congre -
s 3

210 The Saints^ Evcrhsiing Iic.':t.

gation : not to vent any imsound opinions, nor at the
time of public ^vorship ; nor yet to separate from the
church whereof you are members ; but the work which
I would have you meet about, is this, to repeat toge-
ther the word which you liave heard in public ; to
pour out your joint prayers for the church and your-
selves ; to join in cheerful singing the praises of God ;
to open your scruples and doubts, and fears, and get
resolution ; to quicken each other in love and heuven-
liness, or holy walking : and all this not as a sepa-
rated church, but as a part of the church more dili-
gent than thc'rest in redeeming time, and helping the
souls of each other heaven-ward.

3. One thing more I advise you ; if you would
have souls saved by the ordinances, labour still to keep
the ordinances and ministry in esteem. No man will
be much wrought on by that which he despiseth. I
shall confirm you herein, not in my own words, but
in his that I know you dare not disregard, 1 Thes. v.
11, 12. 13. " Wherefore comfort yourselves together,
and edify one another, even as ye also do : and we be-
seech you brethren to know them which labour among
you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you,
and to esteem them very highly in love for their woik's
sa'.- e ; and be at peace among yourselves. Obey them
that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves ;
for they watch for your soulS; as those that must give
an account, that they may do it witli joy and not with
grief: for that is unprofitable for you," Heb. xiii. 17.

Thus you see part of your duty for the salvation

others.

ion of J

But where shall we find the man, that setteth him-
self to it with all his might, and that hath set his
heart upon the souls of his brethren, that they may' be
ssived.

The Saints' 1 \.::uiz Rest. 21 1

Let us here a little enquire, what may be the causes
of the f^robs neg-lect of this duty, that the hinderaii-
ces being discovered, may the more easily be over-
come.

1. One hinderance, is, men*s own sinfulness and
?^uiltiness. They have not been ravished themselves
"vvith the heavenly delights : how then sliould they
draw others to seek them ? They have not felt the
wickedness of their own nature, nor their lost con-
dition, nor their need of Christ, nor felt the renew-
ing work of the Spirit : how then can can they disco-
ver these to others ? Ah that this were not the case of
many a learned preacher amongst us ? And the cause
which they preach so frozcnly I Men also are guilty
themselves of tlie sins they should reprove : and this
stops their mouths, and makcth them ashamed to re-
prove.

2. Another hinderance, is, a secret infidelity pre-
vailing in men's hearts : Alas, sirs, we do not sure
believe men's misery ; we do "not believe sure the
threatenings of God are true. Did we verily believe
that all the unre^ enerate and unholy shall be eternally
tormented, oh how could we hold our tongues when
we are among the unregenerate : how could we choose
but burst cut into tears when we look them in the
face, as tlie prophet did when he looked upon Hazael ?
Especially Vv^hen they are our kindred or friends
th^ are near and dear to us ? Thus doth secret unbe-
liel consume the vigour of each grace and duty. Oh
christians, if you did verily believe that your poor
neighbour* or wife or husband, or child, should cer-
tainly lie Irir ever in the flames of hell, except they
be thoroughly chanp^ed, before death doth snatch them
hence, would not this make you cfist off ail discou-
ragements, and lay at them day and night till they
were persuaded ilow could you hold your tongue,
or let them alone another day, if this were soundly be-

■::[2 r.ie Saints'^ Everlasting Rest.

lievcfl ? If VQU wcYJC sure that any of your dear fiiends
vhat are dead, were now in hell, and persuading to
lepcniancc would p^et him out again, would not you
]:!ersuude him day and night if he were in hearing ?
And why should you not do as much then to prevent
it, while he is in your hearing, but that you do not
believe God's word that speaks the dant^er? Oh were
it not for this cursed unbelief, our own souls and our
neii^hbour's would gain more by us than they do.

3. This faithful dealing with men for their salva-
tion, is much hindered also by our want of compassion
to men's souls. We are hard-hearted and crue. to-
ward tiie miserable ; and therefore (as the priest and

he Lcvite did by the wounded man) we look on them
and pass by. O what tender hearts could endure t«*
look upon a poor, blind, forlorn sinner, wounded by
sin and captivated by Satan, and never once open their
mouths for his recovery I What though he be silent^
and do not desire thy help ? yet his misery cries aloud ;
misery is tlie most efieolual suitor to one that is com-
ocissionate ; if God had not heard the cry of our mise-
"ies before he heard the cry of our prayers, and been
■n6ved by his own pity, before he was moved by our
importunity, we might have long enough continued
the slaves of Satan. Alas, what 'pitiful sights do we
daily see I The ignorant, the profane, the neglecters
ofChrist and their souls ; their sores are open and visi-
ble to all : and yet we do not pity them. You will
pray to God for them, in customary duties, that G#d
■A(>uid open the eyes, and turn the hearts of your
Iriends and neighbours ; and why do you not endea-
A our their conversion, if you desire it ? and if you
do not desire it, why do you ask it ? Doth not your

I'jgligeijce convince you of hypocrisy in your prayers,
and of abusing the most high God with your deceit-
Tul words ? Your neighbours are near you, your
r:iends are in the house with you, you eat and drink,
'lid work, aJid walk, and talk with them, and yet you

The Saints'^ Everlasting Rc^t, 213

say little or nothing to them. Why do ypu not pray
them to consider and retmn, as well as pray God to
convert and turn them ? Have you as oft bcg^td of
them to think on their ways, and to reform, a& you
have ta'<en on you to bep: of God that they may so
do i' What if you should see your nei^j;hbour fallen
into a pit, and you should presently full down on
your knees, and pray God to help him out, but would
neither put forth your hand to help him, nor once
persuade or direct him to help himself, v/ould not any
man censure you to be cruel and hypocritical ? What
the Holy Ghost saith of men's bodily miseries, I may
say much more of the misery of their souls ; If any
man ftccth hh brother in needy and shutteth ufi his cow-
fiaRftioJi frojn him^ hoxo d'\}dleth the love rf God in him ?
Or what love hath he to his brother's soul ? The cha-
rity of our ig-norant fore-fiithers may rise up in judg-
ment a.jjainst us, and condemn us : they Mould i^^ive
all their estates almost, foi'^so many masses or par-
dons, to deliver the souls of their friends from a
feigned pur.:;atory : and we will not as much as admo-
nish and entreat them> to save them from the certain
flames of hell.

3. Another hinderance, is, a base man-pleasins^ dig-
position that is in us. We are so loth to displease
men, and so desirous to keep in credit and favour
with them, that it makes us neglect our own duty.
A foolish physician he is, and a most unfaithful friend,
that will let a sic!c man die for fear of troubliuG: him.
And cruel wretches are we to our friends that will
rather suffer them to ^o (juiclvly to hell, than we will
an^cr them, or hazard our reputation with them. If
they did but fall in a swoon, we would rub them and
pinch them, and never stick at hurtin,:; them. If they
were distracted we would bind them with chains,
and we v/ould pl<iase them in nothin^' that tended to
their hurt. And yet when they are beside themselves
in point of salvation, and in their madness postinc;

on to damiK'.uoM. \> c will not slop them for fear of
displeasing them. '' How can those men be christians,
that love the praise and fav^our of men, more than the
favour of God f" John xii. 43. " I'or if they yet seek
to jjlease men, they are no longer the servants of
Christ," Oal. i. 10. To win them indeed they must
become all thin;^s to all men : but to please them to
their destruction, and let them perish, that we may
keep our credit with them, is a course so base and
barbarously cri^el, that he that hath the face of a
christian should ablior it.

5. Another common hinderanoe, is, a sinful bash-
fulqess. ^^'hen we should labour to make men asham-
ed of their sins, vve are ourselves ashamed of our du-
ties. May not these sinners condemn us^ when they
will not blush to swear or be drunk, and we blush to
tell thein of it, and persuade them to it ? Sinners
will boast of their sins, and shew them in the open
streets : and shall not we be as bold in drawini]; them
from sin ? Not that I would have inferiors forget
their distance in admonishing their superiors ; but do
it with all humility, and submission, and respect. But
yet I would much less have them forget their duty to
God and their friends be they never so mvich their
superiors : it is a thin.i^ that must be done. Bashful-
ness is unseemly in cases of flat necessity. And in-
deed it is not a work to be ashame<l of; to obey God
in persuading men from their sins to Christ, and help-
ing to save their souls, is not a business for a man to
blush at. Yet, alas, wliat abundance of souls have
been neglected through the prevailing of this sin 1
Even the most of us are heinously guilty in this point.
Reader 1 is not this thy own case? Ilath not Xhy con-
science told thee of thy duty many a time, and put
thee on to speak to poor sinners, lest they perish ?
And yet thou hast been ashamed to open thy mouth
to them, and so let them alone to sink or swim ; be-
i:,.,.,. T^^e thou wilt ere \r,i{Z ^^^ ashamed of this shame :

The Saint/ Evjrlaating A'est, 215

0 read those words of Clirist and tremble ; "lie that
is ashamed of me and my words, before this adultercns
generation, of liim will the Son of Man be ashamed
before his Father and the angels."

6. With many also pride is a great impediment.
If it were to speak to a great man, they would do it,
so it would not displease him. Jjiit to go among a
company of ignorant beggars, or mean persons, and
to sit v/ith them in a smoaky nasty cottage, and there
to exhort them from day to day ; where is the person
that will do it ? INlany will much rejoice if they have
been instruments of converting a gentleman (and they
have good cause) but for the common multitude, they
look not after them : as if God M-erc a respecter of
the persons of the rich, or the souls of ail were not
alike to him. Alas, these men little consider how
low Christ did stoop to us I When the God of glory
comes down in flesh to worms, and gceth preaching
up and down among them from city to city. Not the
silliest women tiiat he thought too low to confer M'ith :
few rich, and noble, and wise are called. It is the
poor that receive the glad tidings of the gospel.

Object. O but, saith one, I am of so weak parts, that

1 am unable to manage an exhortation ; especially to
men of strong parts and understanding..

I anazvpr, 1. Set those upon the work who arc
more able. 2. Yet do not think that thou art so ex-
cused thyself, but use faithfully that ability which
thou hast; not in teaching those of wliom thou shouldst
learn, but in instructing those that are more ignorant
than thyself, and in exhorting those that are negli-
gent in the things which Ihey do know. If you can-
not speak well yourself, yet you can tell them vvhat
God speaketh hi his word. It is not the exiellency
of speech that winneth the souls ; but tlie atithority
of God ittanifested by thut speech, and the power of

:1G The Saints* Everlasting Rest.

his word in the mouth of the instructor. A>teak\^e»-
man may tell what God saith in the plain passages of
the word, as well as a learned man. If you cannot
preach to them, yet you can say, Thus it is written.
One of mean parts may remember the wisest of their
duty, when they forget it.

Object. It is my superior : and is it fit forme t*
teach or reprove my betters ? Must the wife teach the
husband, of -whom the scripture biddeth them to learn ?
Or must children teach the parents, whose duty it is
to teach them ?

lanswery 1. It is fit that husbands should be able to
teach their wives, and parents to teach their children ;
and God expected they should be so, and therefore
commanded the inferiors to learn of them. But if
they through their negligence disable themselves, or
throu h their wickedness bring their souls into such
misery, then it is themselves, and not you, that break
God's order, by bringing themselves into disability
and misery.

Matter of mere orders and manners must be dis-
pensed with in cases of flat necessity. Though it were
your minister, you must teach him in such a case. It
is the part of parents to provide for their children, and
not children for their parents : and yet if the parents
fall into want, must not the children relieve them ?
It is the part of the husband to dispose of the afiairs of
the family and estate : and yet if he be sick or beside
himself, must not the wife do it ? The rich should
relieve the poor: b\it if the rich fall into beggary,
they must be relieved themselves. It is the work of a
physician to look to the health of others : and, yet
if he fall sick, some body must help him. So must
the meanest servant admonish his master, and the child
his parent, and the wife her husband, and the people

^/, .....

The SainU* I^erlasting/Rest. 2ir

ilieir ministers, in cases of necessity. Yet secondlj(|
let me give you these two cautions here.

1. That you do not pretend necessity when there is
none, out of a mere desire of teaching. There is
scarce a more certain discovery of a proud heart, than
to be more desirous to teach than to learn ; especially
toward those that are fitter to teach us. •

2. And when the necessity of your superiors dotk
call for your advice, yet do it with all possible humi-
lity, modesty and meekness. Let them discern your
re ve rence and submission in the humble manner of your
addresses to them. Let them perceive that you do it
not out of a mere teaching humour, or proud self-con-
ceitedness. If a wife should tell her husband of sin ia
a masterly railing manner ; or if a servant reprove
Mis master, or a child his father in a saucy w^ay, what
good could be expected from such reproof? But if
they should meekly and humbly open to hira his sin
and di\r»ger, and entreat him to bear with them in what
God commanded, and if they could by tears testify
their sense of his case ; what father, or master, or hus-
band could take this ill ?

Object. But some say, this will make all as preach -
el's, and cause all to break over the bounds of their
otil lings.

/ answer^ \. This is not taking a pastoral charge
of souls, nor making an oiBce or calling of it, as
preachers do.

2. And in the way of our callings, every good
christian is a teacher, and hath a charge of his neigh*
hour's soul. Let it be only the voice of a Cain to say
ji?n I my brother*s keeper ? I would one of these men
that are so loth that private men should teacli them

:il8 The Saints* Everlasting Rest.

to tell mc, what if a man fall down in a swoon in the
streets, though it be your father or superior, would
you not take him up presently, and use all means to
recover him ? Or would you let him lie and die, and
say, it is the work of the physician^ and not mine : I
will not invade the physician's calling. In two cases
every man is a physician ; first, in case of necessity,
and when a physician cannot be had : and secondly, in
case the hurt be so small, that every man can do as
well as the physician. And in the same two cases
every man must be a teacher.

Object. Some will further object, to put off this du-
ty, that the party is so ignorant, or stupid, or careless,
or rooted in sin, and hath been so oft exhorted in vain,
that there is no hope.

I answer, Hov/ know you when there is no hope ?
Cannot God yet cure him I And have not many as
far gone been cured ? Should not a merciful physician
use means while there is life .'' and is it not inhuman
cruelty in you to give up your friend to the devil as
liopeless, upon mere backwardness to your duty, or
upon groundless discouragements? What if you had
been so given up yourself when you were ignorant ?

Object. " But we must not cast pearls before swine,
nor give that which is holy to dogs."

I ansiver, TUat is but a favourable dispensation of
Christ for your own safety. When you are in danger
of being torn in pieces, Christ would have you for-
bear ; but what is that to you that are in no such dan-
ger ? As long as they will hear, you have encourage-
ment to speak, and may not cast them off as contemp-
tuous swine.

The Saints^ Everlastmg Rest» 219^

Object. O but it is a friend that I have all my de-
ndence on ; and by telling him of his sin and mise-
ry, I may lost his love, and so be undone.

/ a'lsiver, Sure no man that hath the face of a
christian, will for shame o^vn such an objection as this.
Yet, I doubt, it oft prevaileth in the heart. Is his
love more to be valued than his safety .'' Or thy own
benefit by him, than the salvation of his soul ? (Drvv^ilt
thou connive at his damnation, because he is thy
friend ? Is that thy best requital of his friendship ?
Hadst thou rather he should burn for ever in hell, than
thou shouldst lose his favour, or the maintenance thou
hast from him ?

To conclude this use, that I may prevail with every
soul that feareth God, to use their utmost diligence to
help all about them to this blessed rest, let me entreat
you to consider these following motives :

1 . Consider, nature teacheth the Gommunicating of
good, and grace doth especially dispose the soul there-
to ; the neglect therefore of this work, is a sin both
against nature and grace.

Would you not think that man or woman unnatural,
that would let their children or neighbours famish in
the streets, while they have provision at hand ? And
is not he more unnatural, that will let his children or
neighbours perish eternally, and will not open his
mouth to save them' ? Certainly this is most barbarous
cruelty. We account an unmerciful, cruel man. a very
monster, to be abhorred of all. Many vicious men
are too much loved in the world, but a cruel man is
abhorred of all. Now that it may appear to you what
a cruel thing this neglect of souls is, do but consider
these two things. First, how great a work it is.
Secondly, how small a matter it is that thou refusest
to do for the accomplishing; so great a work. First,

^20 The Saints* Ever lasting Rest,

k is to save thy Ijrother iroin eternal flames, that he
may not there lie roaring in endless remediless tor-
ments. It is to brinpj him to the everlasting rest,
where he may live in inconceivable happiness with
God. Secondly, and what is it that you should do
to help him therein ? Why, i-t is to persuade him, and
lay open to him his sin, and his duty, his misery, and
the remedy, till you have made him willing to yielcf
to the oiTerf; and commands of Christ. And is this so
great a matter for to do, to the attaining such a bless-
ed end ? Is not the soul of a husband, or wife, or
child, or neighbour, worth a few words ? It is worth
this, or it is worth nothing. If they lay dying in the
streets, and a few words would save their lives, would
not every man say, he was a cruel wretch that would
let them perish rather than speak to them ? Even the
covetous hypocrite, that James reproveth, would give
a few words to the poor, and say, Go and be nvanned
and be clothed. What a barbarous, unmerciful wretch
then art thou, that will not vouchsafe a few words of
serious, sober admonition, to save the soul of thy
neighbour or friend ? Cruelty and unmercifulness to
men's bodies, is a most damnable sin, b\it to their
Bouls much more, as the soul is of greater worth thaa
the body, and as eternity is of greater moment than
this short time.

Alas I you do not see or feel what case their souls
are in, when they are in hell, for want of your faith-
ful admonition. Little know you what many a soul
may now be feeling, who have been your neighbours
and accjuaintance, and died in their sins, on whom
you never bestowed one hour's sober advice for pre*
venting their unhappiness. If you knew their mise-
ry, you would now do more to bring them out of hell ;
but, alas I it is too late, you should have done it while
they were with you it is now too late. As one said
of physicians, " That they were the most happy
" men, because all their good deeds and cures wer<5

V

The Saints' Everlasting Rest, 221

•' seen above ground to their praise, but all their mi^-
" takes and neglects were hurried out of sight." So
I may say to you, many a neglect of yours to the souls
about you, may be now buried with those souls in
hell, out of your sight, and therefore now it doth not
much trouble you ; but, alas! they feel it, though
you feel it not. Jeremiah cried out. My bowels^ my
boiuels^ I cannot hold my ficace^ because of a temporal
destruction of his people : and do not our bowels
yearn ? And can we hold our peace at men*s eternal
destruction ^

2. Consider, What a rate Christ did value souls at,
and what he hath done towards the saving of them :
he thought them worth his blood, and shall not we
think them worth the breath of our mouths ? Will
you not do a little, where he hath done so much ?

3. Consider, what a deal of guilt this neglect doth
lay upon thy soul. First, thou art guilty of the
mvu'der and damnation of all those souls whom thou
dost neglect. He that standeth by, and seeth a man
in a pit, and will not pull him out, if he can, doth
drown him. And he that standeth by, while thieves
rob him, or murderers kill him, and will not help
him if he can, is accessary to the fact. And so he
that will silently suffer men to damn their souls, or
will let Satan and the world deceive them, and not of-
fer to help them, will certainly be judged guilty of
damning them. And is not this a most dreadful con-
sideration ? O sirs, how many souls then have every
one of us been guilty of damning ! what a number of
our neighbours and acquaintance are dead, in whom
we discerned no signs of sanctification, and we never
once plainly told them of it, or how to be recovered \
If you had been the cause but of burning a man*s
house through your negligence, or of undoing him, or
destroying his body, how would it trouble you as long

T 2

522 The Saints' Everlasting^ I^e^t.

as yon lived ? If you had but killed a man unadvised-
ly, it would much disquiet you. We have known
those lliat have been guilty of murder, that could ne-
ver sleep quietly after, nor have one comfortable day,
their own conscience did so vex and torment them.

0 what a heart must thou have, that hast been guilty
of murdering such a multitude of precious souls I
Remember this, when thou lookest thy friends or car-
nal neighbour in the face ; and think with thyself, can

1 find in my heart, through my silence and negligence,
to be guilty of his everlasting burning in hell ; Me-
thinks such a thought should even untie the tongue
of the dumb.

3. And as you are guilty of their perishing, so are
you of every sin which in the mean time they com-
miit. If they were converted, they Avould break off
iheir course of sinning : and if you did your duty,
you know not but they might be converted. As he
that is guilty of a man's drunkenness, is guilty of all
the sins which that drunkenness doth cause him to
commit : so he that is guilty of a man's continuing
UP. re generate, is also guilty of the sins of his unrc-
generacy. How many curses and oaths, and other
^:insof amost heinous nature are many of you guilty
of, that little think of it ? You that take much pains
for your own souls, and seem fearful of sinning, would
take it ill of one that should tell you, that you are
guilt of weekly, or daily whoredojns, and drunken-
ness and swearing, and lying. And yet it is too true,
even beyond all denial, by your neglect of helping
those who do commit them.

3. You are guilty also of all those judgnKnts which
those men's sins bring upon the town or country where
they live. I know you are not such atheists, but
you believe it is God that sendeth sickness, and fa-
mine and war ; and also that it is only sin that mo-
yeth him to this indignation. What doubt then is

The Saints^ Ever last im^ Rest, 22S

there, but you are the cause of judpjmer.ts, -vvho do
not strive a^^ainst those sins which cause them .' God
hath staid lon^ in patience, to see if any would deal
plainly with the sinners of the times, and so free their
o'vn souls from the guilt : but when he seeth that
there is none, but all become guilty ; no wonder then
if he lay the judgment upon all. We have all seen
the drunkards, and heard the swearers, in our streets,
and we would not speak to them : we have all lived
in the midst of an ignorant, worldly, unholy people ;
and we have not spoke to them with earnestness, plain-
ness, and love ; no wonder then if God speak in his
wrath both to them and us. Eli did not commit the
sin himself, and yet he speaketh so coldly aerainst it,
that he must bear the punishment. God locketh up
the clouds, because we have shut up our mouths. The
earth is c-^rown as hard as iron to us, because we have
hardened our hearts against our miserable neighbours.
The cries of the poor for bread are loud, because our
cries a'j^ainstsin have been so low. Sicknesses run a-
pace from house to house, and sweep away the poor
unprepared inhabitahts, because we swept not out the
sin that brecdeth them. As (Christ said in another case,
Luke xix. 40. If these f>hQuld hold their pcace^ the
stnnefi would speak : so, because we held our peace at
the ignorance, uaTodli-ness, and wickedness of our
places, therefore do these plagues and judgments
speak.

4. Consider, What a thing it will be, to look upon
your poor friends in those flames, and to think that
your neglect was a great cause of it ! And that there
was a time when you might have done much to pre-
vent it. If you should there perish with them, it
would be no small aggravation of your torment ! If
you be in heaven, it would sure be a sad thought,
were it possible that any sorrow could dwell there, to
hear a multitude of poor souls there to cry out for ever,
O if you AYould but have told me plainly of my sin

-^4 The Saints^ Everlasting ResU

and dani^er, and dealt roundly with mc, I might have
escaped ail this torment, and been now in rest I O
what a sad voice will this be !

5. Consider, How dili.-^ent are the enemies of these
poor souls to draw them to hell. And if no body be
diligent in helping them to heaven, what is like to
become of them ? The devil is tempting them flay
and nigh: : their inward lusts are still working and
\yithdrawing them : the flesh is still pleading for its
'lelights and profits : their old companions hre ready
to entice them to sin, and to disgrace God's ways
and people to them, and to contradict the doctrine of
« 'hrist that should save them, and to increase their
'iislike of holiness. Seducing teachers are exceed-
m?]y diligent in sowing tares, and in drawing off the
viHsUble from the way to life : and shall a seducer be
so unwearied in proselyting poor unguarded souls to
his fancies ? And shall not a sound christian be much
more unwearied in labouring to win men to Christ and
life?

6. Consider, The neglect of this doth very deeply
wound when conscience is awakened, When a man
comes to die, conscience will ask them, What good
hast thou done in thy life-time ? The saving of souls
is the greatest good : ^Vhat hast thou done towards
this? How many hast thou dealt faithfully with ? I
have oft observed, that the consciences of dying men
very much wound them for this omission. For my
own part (to tell you my experience) when ever I have
been near death, my conscience hatli accused me
more for this than for any sin : it would bring every
ignorant, profane neighbour to my remembrance, to
whom I never made known their danger : it would
tell me, thou shouldst have gone to them in private,
and told them plainly of their desperate danger, with-
out bashfulness or daubing, though it had been when
thou shouldst have eaten or slept, if thou hadstno other

The Saints' Everlasting J^est. 225

time : conscience avouIcI remember me, how at such
a time, or such a time, I was in company with the ig-
norant, or was riding by the way with a wilful sinner,
and had a fit opportunity to have dealt with him, but
di,d not ; or at least did it by halves, and to little pur-
pose. The Lord grant I may better obey conscience
hereafter while I live and have time, that it may have
less to accuse me of at death !

7. Consider, lastly, tlie happy consequence of this
work, where it is faithfully done ; to name some :

1. You may be instrumental in that blessed work of
saving souls, a work that Christ came down and died
for, a work that the angels of God rejoice in : for,
saith the Holy Ghost, " If any of you do err from th«
truth, and one convert him, let him know, that he
v/hich converteth the sinner from the error of his way,
shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude
of sins," James v. 19. 20, And how can God more
highly honour you, than to make you instruments in
so great a work ?

2. Such souls will bless you here and hereafter.
They may be anj^ry with you at first ; but if your
words succeed, they will bless the day that ever they
knew you, and bless God that sent you to speak to
them.

o.

It bringeth much advantage to yourselves r first,
it will increase your graces, both as it is a course that
God will bless, and as it is an acting of them in this
persuading of others : he that will not let you lose a
cup of water which is given for him, will not let you
lose these greater works of charity ; besides, those that
have practised this duty, must find by experience, that
they never go on more prosperously towards heaven,
than when they do most to help others thither with
them: it is not here ys with worldly treasures, the

226 The Saint's Everlasting R^sU

more you give away, the less rou have : but the more
rou cive, the more you have : the setting forth Christ
in his fulness to others, will warm your own hearts ;
the opening the evil and danger of sin to others, vAW
increase your hatred of it. Secondly, it will increase
your glory as well as yoiir grace, both as a duty
which God will reward, {For they that convert many
to righteousncfis shall shine as the stars for ever and
ever. Dan. xii. 3.) and also as we shall there behold
them in heaven, and be their associates in blessedness,
whom God made us here the instruments to convert.
Thirdly, however it will give us much peace of con-
science, whether we succeed or not, to think that we
were faithful, and did cur best to save them, and that
we are clear from the blood of all men. Fourthly,
besides, that is a work, that if it succeed doth exceed-
ingly rejoice an honest heart : he that hath any sense
of God's honour, or the least affection to the soul of
his brother, must needs rejoice much at his conversion,
whosoever be the instrument, but especially when God
maketh ourselves the means of so blessed a work.

For my own part, it is an unspeakable comfort to
me, that God hath made me an instrument for the
recovering of so many from bodily diseases, and
saving their natural lives ; but all this is nothing to
the comfort I have in the success of my labours, in the
conversion and confiiTnation of souls ; it is so great
a joy to me, that it drowneth the painfulness of my
daily duties, and the trouble of my daily languishing
and bodily griefs. And maketh all these with all op-
position and difficulties in my work, to be easy ; and
of ail the personal mercies that ever I received, next
to tills love in Christ to my soul, I most joyfully bless
him for the plenteous success of my endeavours upon
others : O what fruits then might I have seen, if 1
had been more faithful, and plied the work in pri-
vate and public as I ought I I know we have need to
be very jealous of our deceitful hearts in this point,

The SalnU^ Everlastinsr Rest* 227

e>

lest our rejoicing should corne from our pride. Na-
turalty we would every man, be in the place of God
and have the praise of every good work ascribed to
ourselves : but yet to imitate our Father in goodness,
and to rejoice in that degree we attain to, is the part
of every child of God. I tell you therefore, to per-
suade you from my own experience, that if you did
but know what a joyful thing it is to be an instrument
for the saving of souls, you would set upon it pre-
sently, and follow it night and day through the great-
est discouragements and resistance.

And thus I have shewed you what should persuade
you to this duty. Let me now conclude with a word
of entreaty ; first, to all the godly in general. Second-
ly, to some above others in particular.

CHAP. XIV

An Advice to some more particular] ij to help
others t€ this Rest,

UP then every man that hath a tongue, and is a
servant of Christ, and do somethiHg of this your
Master's work : Why hatli he given you a tongue but
to speak in his service ? And how can you serve him
more eminently, than in the serving of souls ? He that
will pronounce you blessed at the last day, and sen-
tence you to the kingdom prepared for you, because you
fed him, and clothed him, and visited him, in his mem-
bers, will surely pronounce you blessed for so great a
work as the bringing over of souls to his kingdom.
He that saith. The poor you liave alioays ivith youy hath
left the ungodly always with you, that you might still
havcmatter to exercise your charity upon. O if you
have the hearts of christians, or of men in you, let

228 The Saintit^ Everlanting 2^ est*

tiicm yeani towards your poor, ignorant, ungodly
neighbours I Alas, there is but a step betwixt them,
and death and hell ; many hundred diseases are wait-
ing ready to seize them, and if they die unregenerate,
they are lost for ever. Have you hearts of rock, that
cannot pity men in such a case ? If you believe not the
word of God, how arc you christians yourselves ? If
you do but believe it, why do you not bestir you to
help others ?*Do you not care who is damned^ so you
be saved ? If so, you have as much cause to pity your
own selves ; for it is a frame of spirit inconsistent with
grace : should you not rather say, as the lepers of
Samaria, is it not a day of glad tidings, arid we sit
still, and hold our peace ? Hath God had so much mer-
cy on you, and will you have no mercy on your poor
neighbours ? You need not go far to find objects for
your pity : look but into the streets, or into the next
house to you, and you will probably find some. Have
you not a neighbour that sets his heart below, and
neglecteth eternity ? What blessed place do you live
in, where there is none such ? If there be not some
of them in thine own family, it is well ; and yet art
thou silent ? Dost thou live so close by them, or meet
them in the streets, or labour with them, or travel with
them, or sit still and talk with them, and say nothin.^
to them of their souls, or the life to come ? If their
houses were on fire, thou wouldst run and help them ;
and wilt thou not help them when their souls are al-
most at the fire of hell ? If thou knowest but a remedy
for their diseases, thou wouldst tell it them, or else
thou wouldst judge thyself guilty of their death. Car-
dan speaks of one that had a receipt that would dissolve
the stone in the bladder, and he makes no doubt biat
that man is in hell, because he never revealed it to any
before he died ; what shall we say then of them that
know the remedy for curing souls, and do not reveal
it ; nor persuade men to make use of it ? Is it not hy-
pocrisy to pray that God*s name mq^ be halloived^ and
aever endeavour t© bring men to halk'w it ? And can

Th€ Saints' Everlasting Rest. 229

you pray, Let thy kingdom come ; and yet never labour
for the coming or increase of that kingdom ? Is it not
u^rief to your hearts to see the kingdom of Satan flou-
rish, and to see him lead captive such a multitude of
souls ? you say you are soldiers of Christ : and will
you do nothing against his prevailing enemies ? You
pray also daily, That his ivill may be done ; and should
you not daily then persuade men to do it ? You pray,
That God would forgive them their sinsj and that he
would not lead them into temfitat^on^ but deliver them
from evil. And yet will you not help them a:^ainst
temptation, nor help to deliver them from the great-
est evil? Nor help them to repent and believe, that
they may be forgiven ? Alas, that your prayers and
your practice should so much disagree I Look about
you therefore, christians, with an eye of compassion
on the sinners about you ? be not like the Priest or
Levite that saw the man wounded, and passed by :
God did not so pass by you, when it was your own
case. Are not the souls of your neif<bbours fallen in-
to the hands of Satan ? Doth not their misery cry out
to you, help, help ! As you have any compassion to-
wards men in the greatest misery, help ! As you have
the hearts of men and not of tygers in you, help !

But as this duty lieth upon all in general, so upon
some more especially, according as God hath called
or qualified them thereto. To them therefore more
particularly I will address my exhortation : whether
they be such as have more opportunity and advan-
tages for this work, or such as have better abilities ^o
perform it.

1 . All you that God hath given more learning and
knowledge to, or endued with better utterance than
your neighbours ; God expecteth this duty especially
at your hand • The strong are made to help the weak,
and tliose that see must direct the blind. God look-
u

230 The Saints' liver lasting Rest.

clh for this faithful improvement of your parts and
gifts, which if you neglect, it were better for you that
you never had received them : for they will but fur-
ther your condemnation, and be as useless to your
own salvation as they are to others.

2. All those that have, especially, familiarity with
some ungodly men, and that have interest in them,
God looks for this duty at their hands. Christ him-
self did eat and drink with the publicans and sinners,
but it was only to be their physician, and not their
companion. God might give you interest in them to
this end, that you might be a means of their reco-
very. They that will not regard the words of ano-
*her, ,will regard a brother, or sister, or husband, or
wife, or near friend : besides that the bond of friend-
ship doth engage you to more kindness and compas-
sion.

3. Physicians tliat are much about dying men,
should in a special manner make a conscience of this
duty : they have a treble advantage. First, they are
at hand. Secondly, they are with men in sickness and
dangers, when the ear is more open, and the heart less
luubborn than in time of health. He that made a scorn
of godliness before, will hear counsel then, if ever he
will hear it. Thirdly, besides, they look upon their
physician as a man in whose hand is their life ; or who
at least may do much to save them, and therefore they
will more regard his advice. Therefore you that are
of this honourable profession, do not think this a
work beside your calling, as if it belonged to none
but ministers ; except you think it beside your call-
ing to be compassionate, or to be christians. Help
to fit your patients for heaven, and whether you see
they are for life or death, teach them both how to live
and how to die, and give them some physic for their
souls, as you do for their bodies. Blessed be God that
very many of the chief physicians of this age have, by

The Saints^ Everlasting Rc&t. :^3l

fheir eminent piety, vindicated their profession from
the common imputation of atheism and profaneness.

4. Another sort that have excellent advantage for
this duty, are men that have v.'ealth and authority, and
are of great place or command in the world, especi-
ally that have many who live in dependence on them.
O what a world of good might gentlemen and lords
do, that have a great many tenants, and that are the
leaders of the country, if they had but hearts to im-
prove their interest and advantage ! Little do you that
are such, think of the duty that lies upon you in this.
Have you not all honour and riches from God ? Is it
not evident then, that you must employ them for the
advantage of his service ? Do you not know who liath
said, " That to whom men commit much, from theriv
they will expect the more r"

You have the greatest opportunities to do good, of
most men in the world. Your tenants dare not con-
tradict you, lest you dispossess them or their children
of their habitation : they fear you more, than the
threatenings of the scriptures ; they will sooner obey
you than God. If you speak to them of God and
their souls, you may be regarded, when even a mi-
nister shall be despised. O therefore as you value j^.e
honor of God, your own comfort, and the salvation of
souls, improve your interest to the utmost for God.
Go visit your tenants' and your neighbours' houses,
and '^ce whether they worship God in their families,
and take all opportunities to press them to their du-
ties. Do not ck'spise them, because they are poor or
simple. Remember, God is no respecter of persons ;
your flesh is of no better metal than theirs ; nor will
the worms spare your faces or hearts any more than
theirs : nor will your bones or dust bear the badge of
your gentility ; you must be all equals when you
stand in judgment ; and therefore help the soul of a
poor man, as well as if he were a gentleman : and let

232 The Sanrts' Everlasting Rest.

men see that you excel others as much in piety, hca-
vfcnliness, compassion, and dilij^ence in God's work,
as you do in riches and honour.

T confess you are like to be singular if you take
this course ; but then remember, you shall be siagulft*
in glory, for few great, cmU viightyy and noble are
sailed.

5. Another sort that have special opportunity to
help others to heaven, are the ministers of the gos-
pel: as they have, or should have more ability than
others, so it is the very work of their calling ; and
♦very one expecteth it at their hands, and will better
submit to their teachers, than to others. I intend not
these instructions so much to teachers, as to others,
and therefore I sliall say but little to them ; and if all,
or most ministers among us, were as faithful and di-
ligent as some, I would say nothing. But because it
is otherwise, let me give tliese two or three words »f
advice to nay brethren in this office.

1. Be sure that the recovering and saving souls h^
tke main end of your studies and preaching. O do
not propound any low and base ends to yourselves.
T^.is is the end of your calling, let it also be the end
of your endeavours. God forbid that you should
spend a week's study to please the people, or to seek
the advancing your own reputation. Dare you appear
in tlie pulpit on such a business, and speak for, your-
selves, when you are sent and pretend to speak for
Christ r Set out the v/ork of God as skilfully as you
can ; but still let the winning of souls be your end,
and always judge that the best means, that most con-
duceth to the ev.d. Do not think that God is best
served by a neat, starched oration : but that he is the
able, skilful minister, that is best skilled in the art of
instructing, convincing, persuading, and that is the
rpst sermon that is best in these. Let the vigour also

The Saints* £ver!asting Rest. 233

of your persuasions shew, that you are sensible on how
weighty a business you are sent. Preach with that
seriousness and fervour as men that believe their own
doctrine, and know their hearers must either be pre-
vailed with, or be danoned. What you would do to
save them from everlasting burning, that do while you
have the opportunity, and price in your hand, that
people may discern you mean as you speak ; and that
you are not stage-players, but preachers of the dec-
trine of salvation. Remember what Cicero saith,
** That if the matter be never so combustible, yet if
•* you put not fire to it, it will not burn." And what
Erasmus saith, '* That an hoi iron will pierce when a
" cold one will not.'* And if the wise men of the
world account you mad, say as Paul, If ive are beside
ourselves^ it is to God: and remember that Christ was
so busy in doing of good, that his friends themselves
began to lay hands on him, thinking he had been be-
side himself. Mark iii..

2. The second and chief word of advice that I
"would give you, is this : do not think that all your
work is in studies, and in the pulpit. I confess that
is great ; but alas !' it is but a small part of your
task.- You are shepherds and must know every sheep,
and what is their disease, and mark their strayings,
and help to cure them, and fetch them home.

O learn of Paul, Acts xx. 19, 20. 31. to preach
publicly, and from house to house, night and day,
with tears. Let there not be a soul in your charge
that shall not be particularly instructed and watched
over. Go from house to house daily, and enquire
how they grow in knowledge and holiness, and on
what grounds they build their hopes of salvation ;
and whether they walk uprightly and perform the du-
ties of their several relations, and use the means to
increase their abilities. See whether they daily wor-
u 2:

?34 The Saints* Everlasting Rest,

ship God in their families, and set them in a way,
and teach them how to do it : confer with them about
the doctrines and practice of religion, and how they
receive and profit by public teaching, and answer ail
their carnal objections ; keep in familiarity with them
that you may maintain your interest in them, and
improve all your interest for God. See that no se-
ducers creep in amongst them, or if they do, be dili-
j^ent to countermine them, and preserve your people
from the infection of heresies and schisms : or if they
be infected, be diligent to procure their recovery ;
not with passion and lordliness, but with patience and
condescension ; as Masculus did by the Anabaptists,
visiting them in prison, where the magistrate had cast
them, and there instructing and relieving them ; and
though they reviled him when he came, and called
him a false prophet and antichristian seducer that
thirsted for their blood, yet he would not so leave
them, till at last by his meekness and love, he had
Overcome them, and recovered many to the truth,
and to unity with the church.

If any be w^ak in thefaith^ receive him^ hut not to
doubtful disfiutations. If any be too careless of their
duties, and too little savour the things of the Spirit,
let them be pitied, and not neglected : if any walk
scandalously and disorderly, deal with them for their
recovery, with all dihgence and patience, and set be-
fore them the heniousness and danger of their sin : if
they prove obstinate, after all, then avoid them, and
cast them off : if they be ignorant, it may be your.
fault as well as theirs ; but however, they are fitter
to be instructed than rejected, except they absolutely
refuse to be taught. Christ will give you no thanks
for keeping, or putting out such from his school that
arc unleained, when their desire or will is to be
taught. I confess it is easier to shut out the igno-
rant, than to bestow our pains night and day in teach-
ing them ; but woe to such slothful, unfaithful ser-

The Saints' Evcrlastng Rest. 235

Vants. Who then is a faithful and a wise sonant,
whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to
give them their meat in due season, according to
every one's age and capacity ? " Blessed is that serv-
ant, whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so
doing." O bo not asleep while the wolf is waking !
Let your eye be quick in observing the dangers and
stray ings of your people. If jealousies, heart-burn-
ings, or contentions rise among them, quench them
before thy break out into raging, irresistible flames.
As :^oon as you discern any to turn worldly, or proud,
or factious, or self'Conceitcd, or disobedient or cold,
ap^l jjiof-hTul in his duty ; delay not but presently make
out for ]~iis recovery ; remember how many are losers
in the loss of a soul.

o. Do not daub, or deal slightly with any ; some
will not tell their people plainly of their sins, because
they are great men ; as if none but the poor should
plainly be dealt with : do not you so, but reprove
them sharply, (tiiough differently and with wisdom)
that they may be found in faith. God doth sufficient-
ly engage us to deal plainly ; he hath bid us speak
and fear not ; he hath promised to stand by us ; and
he will be our security. I had rather hear from the
mouth of " Balak, God hath kept thee from honour ;"
or from " Ahab, feed him Avith the bread and water
of affliction ;" than to hear conscience say. Thou hast
betrayed souls to damnation by thy cowardice and si-
lence ; or to hear God say, Their blood rjill I require
at thy hands ; or to hear from Christ, the judge,
" Cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness,
where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth ;*' yea,
or to hear these sinners cry against me in eternal fire,
and with implacable rage to charge me with their un-
doing.

And as you must be plain and serious, so labour
to be skilful and discreet, that the manner may some?

236 The Saints'" EverlasiinP' Rest

■what answer the excellency of the matter. How oft
have I heard a stamTnering tongue, with ridiculous
expressions, vain repetitions, tedious circumlocutions,
and unseemly pronunciation, spoil most precious doc-
trine, and make the hearers either loath it, or laugh
at it ! How common are these extremes, while one
spoils the food of life by affectation, and new fashi-
oned mincing, and pedantic toys, cither setting forth
a little and mean matter with a great deal of froth, and
gaudy dressing ; or hiding excellent truths in a heap
of vain rhetoric on the other side ! How many, by
their slovenly dressing, make men loath the iood of
life, and cast up that which should nourish them.!
Such novices are admitted into the sacred function, to
the hardening of the wicked, and the disgrace of the
work of the Lord ; and those that are not able to speak
sense or reason, are made the ambassadors oi the
most high God.

O therefore let me bespeak you my brethren, in
the name of the Lord, especially those that are more
young and weak, that you tremble at the greatness of
this holy employment, and run not up into a pulpit as
boldly as idito the market-place : study and pray, and
pray and study, till you are become workmen that
need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of
truth, that your people may not be ashamed, or weary
to hear you : but that besides your clear unfolding the
doctrine of the gospel, you may also be masters of
your people's affections. It is a work that requireth
your most serious searching thoughts : running, has-
ty, easy studies, bring forth blind births. When you.
arc the most renowned doctors in the church of God,
ilas; how little is it that you know, in comparison of>
all that which you are ignorant of !

4. Be sure that your conversation be teaching as
well as your doctrine. Do not confute your doctrine
'hy your practice. Be as forward in an holy and hea-

The Samts' Everlasting ResU 237

vcniy life, as you are in pressing it on others. Let
your discourse be as edifying and spiritual, as you
teach them theirs must be ; for evil language, give
them good ; and blessing for their cursing. Suffer
any thing, rather than the gospel and men's souls
should suffer : Become all t/iings (lawful) to all men^ if
by any means you ?)iay w'n some. Let men see that you
use not the ministry only for a trade to live by ; but
that your hearts are set upon the welfare of their
souls. Whatsoever meekness, humility, condescen-
sion, or self-denial you teach them from the gospel,

0 teach it them also by your undissembled example.
This is to be guides, and pilots, and governors of the
church indeed.

What an odious sight it is, to see pride and ambi-
tion preach humility ! and an earthly-minded man
preach for an heavenly conversation !

Do I need to tell you that are teachers of others^
that we have but a little while longer to preach I And
but a few more breaths to breathe ? And then we must
come down, and be accountable for our work ? Do I
need to tell you, that Ave must die, and be judged as
well as our people ? Or that justice is most severe
about the sanctuary? And judgment beginneth at the
house of God?

5. The last whom I would persuade to this great
work of helping others to the heavenly rest, are pa-
rents and masters of families. All you that God hath
intrusted with children or servants, consider what
duty lieth on you for furthering their salvation. That
this exhortatloh may be the more effectual with you,

1 will lay down several considerations |br you serious-
ly to think on.

I. What plain and pressing commands of God are
there, that require this g;reat duty at your hand ?

238 The Sa'nifs Everlasting l^est..

Deut. vi. 6, r, 8. ** And these words which I com-
mand ihce this day shall be in thy heart, and thou shalt
teach them diligently to thy children, speaking of them
when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest
by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou
risest up.*' \nd how well is God pleased with this in
Abraham, Gen. xviii. 17. 19, '* Shall I hide from
Abraham that thing which I do? For I know him,
that he will command his children, and his household
after him, that they shall keep the way of the Lord."
Prov. xxii. 6. " Train up a child in the way he should
go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.*'
So you see it is a work that the Lord of heaven and
earth hath lain upon you i and how then daw you ne-
glect it ?

2, You will else be witnesses against your own
souls : your great care and pains, and cost for their
bodies, will condemn you for your neglect of their
precious souls : you can spend yourselves in toiling
and caring for their bodies, -and even neglect your own
souls, and venture them sometimes upon unwari'anta-
ble courses, and all to provide for your posterity : and
have you not as much reason to provide for their
souls I Do you not believe that your children must be
everlastingly happy or miserable ? And should not
tliat be fore-thought in the first place ?

3. Consider, God hath made your children to be
your charge ; yea, and your servants too : every one
will confess they are the minister's charge, and what
a dreadful thing is it for them to neglect them, when
God hath told them, That if they tell not the wicked
of their sin and danger, their blood shall be required at
that minister's hands ! and is not your charge as great
and as dreadful as theirs? Have not you a greater
charge of your own families than any minister hath ?
Yea, doubtless, and your duty it is ro teach, and ad-
monish, and reprove them, and watch over them^ at

77?^ Saints' Everlasting nest, 239

your hands, else will God require the blood of their
souls. The greatest charge it is, that ever you we-rc
intrusted witli, and woe to you if you prove unfaithful,
and betray your trust, and suffer them to be iiriiorant
for want of your teaching, or wicked for want of your
admonition or correction.

4. Look into the dispositions and lives of your
children, and see what a work there is for you to do-
Fir9t^ It is not one sin that you must help them
against, but thousands ; their name is legion, for they
are many : it is not one weed that must be pulled up,
but the field is overspread with them. Secondly ^ and
how hard is it to prevail against any. one of them 1
They are hereditary diseases, bred in their natures:
they are as rear them as the very heart ; and how te-
nacious are all things of that which is natural 1 How
hard to teach a hare not to be afraid, or a lion or ty gcr
not to be fierce 1 Besides, the things you must teach
them, are quite above them ; yea, and clean contrary
to the interest and desires of theirilcsh : how hard is
it to teach a man to be willing to be poor and despised
for Christ ; to deny themselves, and displease the
flesh; to forgive an enemy ; to love those that hate
us ; to watch against temptations; to avoid occasions
and appearances of evil ; to believe in a crucified Sa-
viour ; to rejoice in tribulation ; to make God their
delight and love ; and to have their hearts in heaven,
while they live on earth ! I think none of this is easy,
they that think otherwise, let them try and judge ;
yet all this must be learned, or they are undone for-
ever. If you help them not to some trade, they can-
not live in the world : but if they be destitute of
these things, they shall not live in heaven. If the
mariner be not skilful, he may be drowned; and if
the soldier be not skilful, he may be slain : but they
that cannot do the things above-mentioned, will pe-
rish for ever ; For ivithout holiness no man shall see
.God. O that theLord would make all you that are

240 The Saints'' Everlasting Rest,

parents sensible what a work and charge doih lie ii[K)n
you ! You that neglect this important work, and talk
to your families of nothing but the world, I tell you
the blood of souls lies on you : and make as Inght of it
as you will, if you repent and amend not, the Lord
will shortly call you t© an account for the guilt of your
diildren's everlasting undoing.

5. Tliink with yourselves, what a world of comfort
you may have if you be faithful in this duty: if you
should not succeed, yet you have freed your own
souls ; and though it be sad, yet you may have peace
in your own consciences : but if you do succeed, the
comfort is inexpressible. For, 1. Good children will
be truly loving to their parents ; when a little matter
will make ungodly children cast off their very natural
affection. 2. Good children will be most obedient to
you ; they dare not disobey you, because of the com-
mand of God, except you should command them that
which is unlawful, and then they must obey God ra-
ther than men. 3. And if you should fall into want,
they would be most faithful in relieving you, as know-
ing they are tied by a double bond of nature and of
grace. 4. And they will also be helpers to your souls ;
they will be delighting you with holy conference and
actions ; when wicked children will be grieving you
with cursing, and swearing, or drunkenness, or diso-
bedience. 5. But the greatest joy will be when you
shall say, Here am /, and the children thou haat given
me* And are not all these comforts enough to per-
suade you to this duty ?

6. Consider further, that the very welfare of church
and state lieth mainly on this duty of well-educating
children ; and without this, all other means are like
to be far less successful. I seriously profess toyoii,
that 1 verily think all the sins and miseries of the land
may acknowledge this sin for their nurse. It is not
good laws and orders that will reform us, if the men

The Saint iP Everlasting Rest, 241

be not good, and reformation begin not at home ; when
children go wicked from the hands of their parents,
in every profession they bring this fruit of their edu-
cation with them. I tell you seriously, this is the
cause of all our miseries in church and state, even the
want of a holy education of children. Many lay the
blame on this neglect, and that ; but there is none hath
so great a hand in it as this.

7. I entreat you that are parents, to consider what
excellent advanta£j;es you have above all others for the
saving of your children.

1 . They are under your hands v/hile they are young,
and tender, and flexible ; but they come to ministers
when they are grown older, and stifler, and settled
in their ways, and think themselves too good to be
catechised. You have a twig to bend, and we an
oak : you have the young plants of sin to pluck up,
and we the deep-rooted vices. The consciences of
children are not so seared with a custom of sinning,
and long resisting grace, as others. You have the
soft and tender earth to plough in, and we have the
hard and stony ways, .that have been trodden on by-
many years practice of evils. We have a double task,
first to unteach them, and then to teach them better ;
but you have but one. We must unteach them all
that the world, and the flesh, and wicked company,
and the devil have been diligently teaching them in
many years. You have them before they are possess-
ed with prejudice against the truth ; but we have them
to teach, when they have many years lived among
those that have taught them to think God's ways to
be foolish. Doth not the experience of all the world
shew you the power of education ? What else makes
all the children of the Jews to be Jews ? And all the
children of the Turks to be Mahometans ? And of
christians, to be in profession christians ? And of each

X

£42 The Saints'^ Evfv las ting ReH»

sect or party in religion to follow their parents ? Now
what an advantage have you to use all this for the
furtherance of their happiness !

I. Consider also, that you have the affections of
your children more than any others: none in the
world hath thkt interest in their hearts as you. You
will receive that counsel from an undoubted friend,
that you would not do from an enemy, or a stranger.
Now, your children know you are their friends, and
advise them in love ; and they cunnot but love you
again. Nature hath almost necessitated them to love
you. O therefore improve this your interest in them
for their good !

Z. You have also the greatest authority over them.
You may command them, and they dare not disobey
you, or else it is your own fault, for the most part : for
you can make them obey you in your business ; yea,
you may correct them to enforce obedience. Your
authority also is the most unquestionable authority in
the world. The authority of kings and parliaments
have been disputed, but yours is past dispute. And
therefore if you use it not to bring them to God, you
are without excuse.

4. Besides, their dependance is on you for their
maintenance. They know you can either give them,
or deny them what you have, and so punish and re-
ward them at your pleasure. But on ministers or
jieighbours they have no such dependance.

5. Moreover, you that are parents know the temper
and inclinations of your children, what vices they are
most inclined to, and what instruction or reproof
they most need : but inirusters caunot so well know
this.

The Saints' Everlasting Rest. 243-

6. Above all, you are ever\vith them, and so have
opportunity, as you know their faults, so to apply the
remedy. You may be still talking; to them of the
word of God, and minding them of their state and
duty, and may follow and" set home every word of
advice, as they are in the house with you, or in the
shop, or in the field. O what an exrelient advantage
is this, if you have hearts lo use it ! Especially ycu
mothers, remem.her this ; you are more v.itii your
children while they arc little ones than their fathers :
be you therefore still tearhini?; them as soon as ever
they are capable of learning : you cannot cio God
such eminent service yourselves as men ; but you iliay
train up children that may do it, and then you v/ill
have part of the comfort and honor. Wh&t a deal
of pains are you at with the bodies of your children
more than the fathers ? And what do you suffer to
bring them into the Morld ? And will not you be at
as much pains for the saving oi their souls ? You are
naturally of more tender affections than men ; and will
it not move you to think that your children should
perish for ever ? Therefore I beseech you, for the
sake of the children of your bowels, teach thejii, ad-
monish them, watch over them, and give them no
rest till you have brought them to Christ.

And thus I have shewed you reason enough to muke
you diligent in teaching your children.

Let us next hear v/hat is usually objected i;ealnst
this by negligent men.

Object. 1. We do not see, but those children prove
as bad as others, that are taught the scriptures, and
brought up so holily : and those prove as honest men,
that have none of this ado with them.

Ans. Who art thou, O man, that disputest against
God ? Hath God charged you to " teach your children

244 The Saints' £verlastlng KtsU

diligently his word, speakinj^ of it as you sit at home,
and as you Avalk abroad, as you lie dowji, and as you
rise up ;'* and dare you reply, that it is as good let it
alone ? Why, this is to set God at defiance ; and as it
were to spit in his face, and give him the lie. Will you
take it well at your servants, if when you command
them to do a thing, they should return you an answer,
that they do not see but it were as good let it alone ?
Wretched worm I darest thou thus lift up thy head
iigainst the Lord that made thte, and must judge
thee? Is it not he that commandeth thee ? If thou
believe that this is the M'ord of God, how darest thou
Kay, it is as good disobey it ? This is devilish pride
indeed, when such sottish, sinful dust shall think
themselves wiser than the living God.

2. But what if some prove bad that are well brought
up ? It is not the generality of them. Will you say
tliat Noah's family was no better than the drowned
world, because there was one Ham in it ? Nor David's,
because there v»-as one Absalom ? Nor Christ's, be-
cause there was one Judas ?

3. But what if it were so? Have men need of the
less teaching, or the more ! You have more wit in
the matters of this world. You will not say, I see
many labour hai-d, and yet are poor, and therefore it
is as good never to labour at all : You will not say,
many tliat go to school learn nothing, and therefore
they may learn as much though they never go ; or
many that aie great tradesmen break, and therefore
it is as good never to trade at all ; or many plough
and sow, and have nothing come up, and therefore it
is as good never to plough more. What a fool were
he that should reason thus ! And is not he a thousand
times worse, that shall reason thus for men's souls ?
Peter reasons the clean contrary way, " If the right-
eous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and
dinner appear," I Pet. iv. 18. And so doth Christ,

J

The Saints* Eijer lasting Best, 24 J

Luke xiii. 24. " Strive to enter in at the strait crate ;
for many shall seek to enter, and not be abk." Other
men's miscarriages should quicken our diligence, and
not make us cast away all. What should you think of
that man that should look over into his neighbour's
garden, and because he sees here and there a nettle or
weed among much better stuff, should say, Why, yoi!
may see these men that bestow so much pains in dig-
ging and weeding, have weeds in their garden as well
as I that do noticing, and therefore who would l)e at so
much pains ? Just thus doth the mad world talk. You
may see now that those that pray, and read, nnd fol-
low sermons, have their faults as well as we, and have-
wicked persons among them as well as we : yea, but
that is not the whole garden, as yours is : ii is hut here
and there a weed, and as soon as they spy it, thev
pluck it up, and cast it away.

Object. 2. Some further object, it is the woik of
ministers to teach both us and our chikl] -.li, a'x! there-
fore we may be excused.

Answer. 1. It is first your duty, and then liie mi-
nister's. It will be no excuse for you, because it is
their work, except you could prove it were only theirs.
Magistrates must govern both you and your children :
doth it therefore follow, that you must not govern
them ? It belongs to the schoolmaster to correct them,
and doth it not belong also to you r There must go
many hands to this great work ; as to the building^of
an house there must be many workmen, one to one
part, and another to another, and one must not leave
their part, and say it belongs to the other : so it is her<^
in the instructing of your children : first, you must do
your work, and then the minister must do hisi vou
must be doing it privately, night and day ; tiie minis-
ter must do it publicly and privately, as oft as he ran

x2

246 The Saints' Everlasting Rest

'<5

2. But as the case now stands with ministers, they
are disabled from doing that which belongs to their
1 office, and therefore you cannot now cast your work
I on them. I will instance but in two things.

Fw-st^ It belongs to their office to govern the
church, and to teach with authority : and great and
small are commanded to obey them, Heb. xiii 7. 17.
But this is unknown, and hearers look on themselves
as free-men, that may obey or not, at their own plea-
sure. People think we have authority to speak to
them when they please to hear, and no more. Nay,
few of the godly themselves understand the authority
that their teachers have over them from Christ : they
know how to value a minister's gifts, but not how they
are bound to obey him, because of his office : not that
they should obey him in evil, nor that he should be a
final decider of all controversies, nor should exercise
his authority in things of no moment ; but as a school-
master may command his scholars when to come to
school, and what book to read, and what form to be
of, and as they ought to obey him, and learn of him,
and not to set their wits against his, but to take his
word, and believe him as their teacher, till they un-
derstand as well as he, and are ready to leave his
school ; just so are the people bound to obey and learn
of their teachers. Now this ministerial authority is
unknown, and so ministers are the less capable of do-
ing their work, which comes to pass, 1 . From the pride
of man's nature, especially novices, which makes men
« impatient of the reins of guidance and command :
2. From the Popish errors of implicit faith ; to avoid
which we are driven as far into the contrary extreme :
and 3. From the modesty of ministers, that are loth to
shew their commission, and make known their autho-
rity, lest they should be thought proud : as if a pilot
should let the seamen run the ship whither they will,
for fear of being thought proud in exercising his au-
thority.

The Saintii* Everlasting Rest. 24/

Secondly^ A far Eyreater cloi^than this cloth lie upon
ministers, which few take notice of; and that is, the
fewness of ministei's, and the greatness of congrega-
tions. In the apostles' time every church had a mul-
titude of ministers, and so it must he again, or we
shall never come near the primitive pattern ; and then
they could preach publicly, and from house to house :
but now, when there i& but one or two ministers to
many thousand souls, we cannot teach them one by
one. So that you see, you have little reason to cast
your work on the ministers, but should tlie more help
them by your diHgence in your several families, be-
cause they are already so over-burdened.

Object. 3. But some will say, We are poor men and
must la1)our for our living, and so must our children ;
we cannot have time to teach them the scriptures, we
have somewhat else for them to do.

Ans. And are not poor men subject to God as well
as rich ? And arc they not christians ? And must
they not give an accoimt of their ways ? And have Dot
your children souls to save or lose, as well as the rich ?
Cannot you find time to speak to them as they are at
their work ? Have you not time to instruct them on
the Lord's day ? You can find time to talk idly, as
poor as you are ; and can you find no time to talk of
the way to life ? You can find no time on the Lord's
day for your (shildren to play, or walk or talk in the
streets, but no time to mind the Ufe to come. Me-
thinks you should rather say to your children, I have
no lands to leave you ; you have no hope of great mat-
ters here ; be sure therefore to make the Lord your
portion, that you may be happy hereafter ; if you
could get riches, they would shortly leave you, but the
riches of grace and elory will be everlasting. Me-
thinks you should say, as Peter, Siher and gold I have
noney but such as I have I g^^ve you. The kingdoms

248 The Saints' Everlasting Rest,

of the world cannot be had by beggars, but the king-
dom of heaven may.

O what a terrible reckoning will many poor men
have, when Christ shall plead his cause, and judge
them ! May not he say, I made the way to worldly
honors inaccessible to you, that you might not look
after it for yourselves or your children ; but heaven I
set open, that you mi^ht have nothing to discourage
you : I confined riches and honors to a few ; but my
blood and salvation I offered to all, that none might
say, I was not invited : I tendered heaven to the poor,
as well as the rich : I made no exception against the
meanest beggar ; why then did you not come yourselves,
and bring your children, and teach them the way to the
eternal inheritance? Do you say you were poor? Why,
I did not set heaven to sale for money ; I called those
that had nothin,^, to take it freely ; only on condition
they would take me for their Saviour and Lord, and
give up themselves to me in obedience and love.

What can you answer Christ, when he shall thus
convince you ? Is it not enough that your children are
poor and miserable here, but you would have them be
worse for everlasting ? If your children were beggars,
yet if they were such beggars as Lazarus, they may be
conveyed by angels into the presence of God. But be-
lieve it, as God will save no man because he is a gen-
tleman, so will he save no man because he is a beg-
gar. God hath so ordered it in his providence, that
riches are common occasions of men's damnation, and
will you think poverty a sufRcient excuse ? The hard-
est point in all our work is to be weaned from the
world, and in love with heaven ; and if you will not be
weaned from it, that have nothing in it but labour and
sorrow, you have no excuse. The poor cannot have
time, and the rich will not have time, or they are
ashamed to be so forward : the young think it too soon,
and the old too l^te j and thus most men instead of be-

The Saints' Everlasting ResU 249

ing saved, have somewhat to say against their salva-
tion ; and when Christ sendeth to invite them, thty
say, I praij thee have me excused.. O unworthy guests
of such a blessed feast, and worthy to he turned into
everlasting burnings !

Object. 4. But some will object, we have been
brought up in ignorance ourselves, and therefore we
are unable to teach our children.

Ans. Indeed this is the very sore of the land : but
is it not a pity that men should so receive their de-
struction by tradition ? Would you have this course to
go on thus still ? Your partnts did not teach you, and
therefore you cannot teach your children, and there-
fore they cannot teach theirs : by this course the
knowledge of God would be banished out of the w^orld
and never be recovered. But if your parents did not
teach you, why did you not learn when you came to
age ? The truth is, you had no hearts for it ; for he
that hath no knowledge, cannot value it, or love it.
But yet, though you have greatly sinned, it is not too
late, if you will but follow my faithful advice in these
four points.

1. Get your hearts deeply sensible of your own
sin and misery, because of this long time which you
have spent in ignorance and neglect. Bethink your-
selves when you are alone ; did not God make you,
and sustain you for his service ? Should not he have
had the youth aa,d strength of your spirits ? Did you
live all this time at the door of eternity ? What if you
had died in ignorance, where had you been ? What a
deal of time have you spent to little purpose ? Your
life is near done, and your work all undone. You are
ready to die, before you have learned to live. Should
not God have had a better share of your lives, and
your souls been more regarded and provided for ? In
the midst of these thoughts, cast down yourselves.

i50 The Saints^ E'Oerlasting Rest.

sorrow at the feet of Christ; beAvail your folly, and bos'
pardon and recovering grace.^

2. Then think as sadly how you have wronged your
children. If an unthrift that hath sold all his lands,
will lament it for his children's sake, as well as his
own, much more should you.

5. Next set presently to work, and learn yourselves.
If you can read, do ; if you cannot, get some that
can ; and be m.uch among these that will instruct you ;
be not ashamed to be seen among learners, but be
ashamed that you had not learned sooner. Cod for-
bid you should be so mad, as to say, I am now too old
to learn ; except you i)e too old to serve God, and he
saved, how can you be too old to learn to be saved ?
Why not rather, I am too old to serve the devil and the
world, I have tried them too long to trust them any
more. What if your parents had not taught you any
trade to live by ? Would not you have set yourselves
to learn, when you had come to age ? Remember that
you have souls to care for, as well as your children, and
therefore first be^-in with yourselves.

4. While you are learning yourselves, teach your
children what you do know ; and what you cannot
teach them yourselves, put them to learn of others
that can : persuade them into the company of those
who will be glad to instruct them. Have you no neigh-
bours that will be helpful to you herein t O do not
keep yourselves strange to them, but go among them,
and desire their help, and be thankful to them, that
they ^'ill entertain you in their company. God for-
bid that they should be like those that Christ speaks of,
Luke xi. 52. " that would neither enter into the king-
dom of God themselves, nor suffer those that would
to enter." God forbid you should be such barbarous
wretches, as to hinder your children from being godly,
and to teach ihem to be wicked ! If any thing that

The Saints^ Everlasting Rest* 251

walks in flesh may be called a devil, I think it is a pa-
rent that hindereth his children from salvation : nay,
I will say more, I verily think that in this they are far
worse than the devil. God is a righteous judge, and
will not make the devil himself worse than he is : I
pray you be patient while you consider it, and then
judge yourselves. They are the parents of their chil-
dren, and so is not the devil : do you think then it is as
great a fault in him to seek their destruction, as in
them ? Is it as great a fault for the wolf to kill the
lambs, as for their own dams to do it ? Is it so horrid
a fault for an enemy in war to kill a child, or for a
bear or mad dog to kill it, as for the mother to dash
Its brains against the wall I You know it is not : do
•you think then, that it is so hateful a thing in Satan to
entice your children to sin and hell, and to discourage
and dissuade them from holiness, as it is in you ? You
are bound to love them by nature, m^ore than Satan is.
O then, what people are those that will teach their
children, instead of holiness, to curse and swear, and
rail, and backbite^ to be proud and revengeful, to
break the Lord's da^', and to despise his ways, to
speak wantonly and filtijly, to scorn at holiness, and
glory in sin I O when God shall ask these children,
where learned you this lan;:j,iiage and practice ; and
they shall say, I learned it of my father or mother : I
would not be in the case of those parents for all the
world I Alas, is it a work that is worih the teaching,
to undo themselves for ever ? Or can they not without
teaching learn it too easily of themselves ? Do you
need to teach a serpent to sting, or a lion to be fierce I
Do you need to sow weeds in your garden ? Will they
not grow of themselves ? To build an house requires
skill and teaching, but a little may serve to set a town
on fire : to heal the wounded or the sick, requireth
skill ; but to make a man sick, or to kill him, requireth
but little. You may sooner teach your children to
swear, than to pray ; and to mock at godliness, than
to be truly godly. If these parents were swoniene-

2a 2 The Saints* Everlasting Rest*

mics to their children, and should study seven yeari
how to do them the greatest mischief, they could not
possibly find out a surer \^ay, than by drawing them
to sin, and withdrawing them from God.

I shall therefore conclude with this earnest request
to all christian parents that read these lines, that they
would have compassion on the souls of their poor
children, and be faithful to the great trust God hath
put on them. O sirs \ If you cannot do what you
would do for them, yet do what you can. Both church
and state, city and country, groan under the neglect
of this weighty duty ; your children know not God,
nor his laws ; but take his name in vain, and slight
his worship : and you do neither instruct them, nor
correct them, and therefore God doth correct both
them and you. You are so tender of them> that God
is the less tender both of them and you. Wonder net
if God make you smart for your children's sins ; for
you are guilty of all they commit, by your neglect of
doing your duty to reform them : even as he that mak-
eth a man drunk, is guilty of i»A'i the sin that he com-
mitteth in his drunkenness. Will you resolve there-
fore to set upon this du^y, and neelect it no longer ?
Remember Eli : your children are like Moses in the
basket, in the wate?, ready to perish if they have not
help. As ever you v/ould not be charged before God
for murderers of their souls ; and as ever you would
not have thf^n cry out against you in everlasting fire,
see that you teach them how to escape it, and bring
them urj in holiness, and the fear of God.

You have heard that the God of heaven doth flatly
ct)mmand it ; I charge every man of you therefore,
upon your allegiance to him, as you will very shortly
answer the contrary at your peril, that you will nei-
ther refuse or neglect this most necessary work. If
you are not willing to do it, now you know it to be so
plain and so great a duty, you are flat rebels, and no
true subjects of Christ. If you are willing to do it,

The Sainta'' Everlasting litest* 25 J

but know not how, I will add a few words of directioM
lo help you.

1. Teach Ihcm by your own example, rvs well as by
your words. Be yourselves such as you would have
them be : practice is the most effectual teachinj^ of
children, who are addicted to imitation, especially
of their parents. Lead them the way to prayer, and
reading, and other duties. lie not like base com-
manders, that will put on their soldiers, but not go
on themselves. Can you expect your children should
be wiser or better than you r Let them not hear those
woixls out ef your mouths, nor see those practices in
your lives, which you reprove in them. Who should
lead the way in holiness, but the father and master of
the family ? It is a sad time when a master or father
v/ill not hinder his family from serving God, but will
give them leave to go to heaven without them.

I will but name the rest of your direct duty for
your family. 1. You must help to inform their un-
derstandings. 2. To store their memories. 3. To
rectify their wills. 4. To quicken their affections.
5. To keep tender their consciences. 6. To restrain
their tongues, and help them to skill in gracious
speech ; and to reform and watch over their outward
conversation.

To these ends, 1 . Be sure to keep them, at least,
solon^ at school, till they cau read English. It is a
thousand pities a reasonable creature should look up-
on a bible, as upon a stone, or a piece of wood. 2. Get
them bibles and good books, and see that they read
them. S. Examine them often what they learn,

4. Especially spend the Lord's day in this work,
and see that they spend it not in sports and idleness.

5. Shew them the meaning of what they read and
learn. Acquaint them with, and keep them in

;^5 4 The Sxi^iits* Everlasting ResU

crwiipany, where they may learn good, and keep them
out of that company that would teach them evil. 7.
Be sure to cause them to learn some catechism, con-
taining the chief heads of divinity.

The heads of divinity which you must teach them
first, arc these.

1. That there is one only God, who is a.spirit, in-
visible, infinite, eternal, almighty, good, merciful,
true, just, holy. 2. That this God is one in three,
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 3. That he is the
Maker, Maintainer, and Lord of all. 4. That man's
happiness consistcth in the enjoying of this God, and
jiOt in fleshly pleasure, profits, or honours. 5. That
God made the first man upright and happy, and gave
him a law to keep, with condition, that if he kept it
perfectly, he should live happy for ever ; but if he
]>rQke it, he should die. 6. That man broke this
law, and so forfeited his welfare, and became guilty
of death as to himself, and all his porterity. 7, That
Christ the Son of God did here interpose, and pre-
vent the full execution, undertaking to die instead, of
man, and so redeem him. 8. That Christ hereupon
did make with man a better covenant, whicli pro-
claimed pardon of sin to all that did but repent, and
believe, and obey sincerely. 9. That he reveale<l this
covenant and mercy to the world by degrees : First,
in darker promises, prophesies, and sacrifices ; then
in many ceremonious types ; and then by more plain
foretelling by the prophets. 10. That in the fulness
of time Christ came and took our nature into union
with his God-head, being conceived by the Holy
Ghost, and born of the virgin Mary. 11. That while
he was on earth, he lived a life of sorrows, was
crowned with thorns, and bore the pains that our sins
deserved : at last being crucified to death, and buried,
so satisfied the justice of God. 12. That he also
preached to the Jews, and by constant miracles prov-

The Saints^ Everlasting I^est.

->T.T

<*d the truth of his doctrines before thousands of ^vit-
nesses : that he revealed more fully his new covenc.n'.
That whosoever will believe in him, and accept Www
for their Saviour and Lord, shall be pardoned and
saved, and have a far greater glory than ihey lobt ;
and they that -vviil not, shall lie under the curse aiul
guilt, and be condemned to the everlasting lire of
hell. 13. That he rose again from the dead, having
conquered death, and took possession of his domi-
nion over all, and so ascended up into heaven, ai;c>
there reigneth in glory. 14. That before his ascen-
sion he gave charge to his apostles to preach the gos-
pel to all nations and persons, and to offer Christ, and
mercy, and life, to every one without exception, and
to entreat and persuade them to receive him, and that
he gave them authority to send forth othei's on tht
same message, and to baptize, and to gather churelir^r,,
and confirm, and order them, and settle a course for
the succession of ministers and ordinances to the end
of the world. 15. That he also gave them power to
work frequent and evident miracles for the confirma-
tion of their doctrine ; and to annex their writings to
the rest of the scriptures, and so to finish and seal
them up, and deliver them to the world as his infalli-
ble word, which none must dare to alter, and which
all must observe. 16. That for all his free grace is
offered to the world, yet the heart is by nature so des-
perately wicked, that no man will believe and enter-
tain Christ sincerely, except by an almighty power he
be changed and born again ; and therefore doth Christ
Send forth his spirit with his word, which Morkcth
holiness in our hearts, drawing us to God and the
Redeemer. 17. That the means by which Christ
worketh and preserveth this grace, is the word read
and preached, together with frequent, fervent prayer,
TOieditation, sacraments, and gracious conference ;
and it is much furthered also by special providence ^
keeping us from temptation ; fitting occurrences tv>
our advantage, drawing us by mercies, and driv-

i

25G The Saint's Everlasting Nest.

ing us by afflrctions ; and therefore it must be the
great and daily care of every christian to use faithful-
ly ail the ordinances, and improve all providences.

18. That though the new law or covenant be an easy
yoke, and there is nothing i^ricvous in Christ's com-
njands, yet so bad are cur hearts, and so strong our
temptations, -and so dilii- ent our enemies, that whoso-
ever will be saved, must strive, and watch, and be-
stow his utmost care and pains, and deny his flesh,
and forsake all that would draw him from Christ, and
herein coninue to tha end, and overcome; and be-
cause this cannot be done without continual supplies
of grace, whereof Christ is the only fountain, there-
fore we must live in continual dependance on him by
faith, and know that cnir life is hid 'with God in him.

19. That Christ v/ill thus by his word and Spirit ga-
ther him a church out of all the world, which is his
body and spouse, and he their head and husband, and
will be tender of them as the apple of his eyes, and
preserve them from danger, and continue among then^
his presence and ordinances ; and that the members
of this church m.ust live together in entire love and
peace, delighting themselves in God, in his worship,
and the fore-thoughts of their everlasting happiness ;
forbearing and forgiving one another, and relieving
each other in need ; and all men ought to strive to be
of this society ; yet will the visible churches be still
rnixed of good and bafl. 20. That when the full
number of these are called home, Christ will come
down fiom heaven again, and raise all the dead, and
set them before him to be judged ; and all that have
loved God, and believed in Christ, and been willing
that he should reign over them, and have improved
their mercies in the day of grace, them he will justi-
fy, and sentence them to hiherit everlasting glory ;
and those that were not such, will he condemn to ever-
lasting fire : both which sentences shall be then exe-
cuted accordingly.

The Sahits^ Everlastinvr Rest* 257

\\

This is the brief sum of the doctrine which yf)u
must teach your children. Thoui;h our ordinaiy
creed, called the apostle's creed, contain all the abso-
lute fundamentals ; yet in some it is so generally and
darkly expressed, that an explication is necessary.

Then for matter of practice, teach them the mean-
ing of the commandments, especially of the great
commands of the gospel ; shew them what is coui-
manded and forbidden, in the first table and in the
second, toward God and men, in regard of the in-
ward and outward man. And here shew them, 1 . The
authority commanding, th.at is, the Almighty Gocl,
by Christ the Redeemer. They are not now to loos,
at the command as coming from God immediately,
merely as God, or the Creator ; but as coming froivi
God by Christ the Mediator, w/io is new the Lord of
all ; seemg the Father iiozv jiidgcth no man, but haih.
committed all judgment to the So?i. 2. Shew them the
terms on which duty is required, and the ends of it.
3. And the nature of duties, and the way to perform
them aright. 4. And the right order, that they iiii
love God, and then their neighbour j Jtrst seek tin-
kijigdomof Gcd and his rig/tteoumeas. 5. Shew the hi
the excellencies and delights of God's service. G. And
the flat necessity of all this. 7. Especially labour to
get all to their hearts, and teach them not only to
speak the words, but to reduce them to practice.

And for sin, shew them its evil and danger, and
watch over them against it. Especially, l.The sins
that youth is commonly addicted to. 2. And which
their nature and constitution must lead them to. S.
And which the time and place most strongly tempt
to. 4. But especially be sure to kill their killing siiis,
those that all are prone to, and are of all most deadly ;
as pride, worldliness, ignorance, profaneness, and
flesh-pleasing.

y 2

258 The Saints' Everlasting Rest.

And for the manner, you must do all this, 1. Be-
times, before the sin get rooting:. 2. Frequently. 3.
Seasonably. 4. Seriously and diligently. 5. Aifecti-
onately and tenderly. 6. And with authority : com-
pelling, AThere commanding will not serve ; and add-
ing correction, where instruction is frustrated.

And thus I have done with the use of exhortation,
to do our utmost for the salvation of others. The
Lord give men compassionate hearts, that it may be
practised, and then I doubt not but he will succeed it
to the increase of his church.

END QV THI SECOND PAR7,.

TIIE

SAINTS' EVERLASTING REST.
PART III.

Containing a Directory for the getu/7g a7id k*ccfiing'
the heart in Heaven, by the diligent Practice of that
excellent duty of Meditation.

CHAP. I.

Reproving our Expectations of Rest on Earth >

DOTH this rest remain ? How great then is ouf
sin and folly to seek and expect it here ? Where shall
we find the christian that deserves not this reproof?
Surely we may all cry guilty to this. We know not
how to enjoy convenient houses, goods, lands, and
revenues, but we seek rest in these enjoyments. We
seldom, I fear, have tsuch sweet and contenting
thoughts of God and glory, as we have of our earthly
delights. How much rest do we seek in buildings,
walks, apparel, ease, recreation, sleep, pleasing meats
and drinks, company, health and strength, and long
life ? Nay, we can scarcely enjoy the necessary
means that God hath appointed for our spiritual
good, but we are seeking rest in them. Our books,
our preachers, sermons, friends, abilities, for duty.

260 The Saints' Everlantin^ Rest.

d

do not our hearts quiet themselves in them, even
more than in God ? Indeed, in -words we disclaim,
and God hatli usually the pre-eminence in our tongues
and pi'ofessions : but do we not desire these more vi-
olently when we want them, than we do the Lord
himself.^ Do wc not ciy out more sensibly, O My
friend, my goods, my health i than, O my God !
Do we not miss ministry and means more passionate-
ly than we miss our God ? Do we not bestir ourselves
more to obtain and enjoy these, than we do to reco-
ver our communion with God ? Do wc not delight
more in the possession of these, than we do in the'
fruition of God himself: Nay, are not these mercies
and duties more pleasant to us, wherein we stand at
the greatest distance from God ? We can read, and
study, and confer, preach and hear, day after day,
without much weariness ; because in these we have to
do with instruments and creatures : but in secret
prayer and conversing with God immediately, where
no creature interposeth, how dull, how heartless and
weary are we ? And if we lose creatures or means,
doth it not trouble us more than our loss of God ? if
we lose but a friend, or health, all the town will hear
of it : but we can miss our God aiid scarce bemoan
our misery. Thus it is apparent, we make the crea-
ture our rest. It is not enough, that they are refresli-
ing helps in our way to heaven ; but they must alsc
be made our heaven itself. Reader, 1 would as wil-
lingly make thee sensible of this sin, as of any bin
in the world ; for the Lord's greatest quarrel with us
is in this point. Therefore I most earnestly beseech
thee to press upon thine own conscience these follow-
ing considerations.

1. It is gross idolatry to make any creature or
means our rest : to settle the soul upon it, and say,
now I am well, upon the bare enjoyment of the crea-
ture : what is this, but to make it our God ? Cer-
tainly, to be the souFs rest is God*s own prerogative.

Tli€ Saints'* Everlasing Kest. 261

And as it is palpable idolatry to place our rest in
riches and honours ; so it is but a more refined idola-
try to lake up our rest in excellent means; in the
church's prosperity, and in its r^iformation. Whew
we would have all that out of God, which is to be had
only in God ; what is this bat to run away iVom him
to the creature, and in our hearts to deny him ? When
we fetch more of our comfort from the thoughts of
prosperity, and those mercies which we have at a
distance from God, than from the fore-thoughts of
our everlastin:^- blessedness in him. Are we not chris-
tians in judgment, and pagans in affection ? Do wc
give our senses leave to be the choosers of our happi-
ness while reason and faith stand by ? O how ill must
our dear Lord needs take it, when we give rum cause
to complain, as sometime he did of our fellow-idola-
ters, Jer. I. 6. that we ha\e been lost sheep, and have
forgotten our restiu:^ -place I When we give him cause
to say, my people can find rest in any thing rather
than in me ! They can find delight in one another, but
none in me ; they can rejoice in my creatui es and or-
dinances, but not in me ; yea, in their very labours
and duty they seek for rest- but not in me ; they had
rather be any where than be with me : are these their
gods ? Have these delivered and redeemed them ?
Will these be better to them than I have been, or than
I would be ? If yourselves have but a wife, a husband,
a son, that had rather be any where than in your com-
pany, and is never so merry as when furthest from
you, would you not take it ill yourselves ? Why so
must our God needs do. For what do we but lay
these things in one end of the balance, and God in the
other, and foolishly prefer them before him ? As El-
kanah said to Hannah^ Am not I better to thee than ten
sons ? So when we are longing after creatures, we
may hear God say, am not 1 better than all the crea-
tures to thee ?

262 The Saints'* Everlasthig ReitU

2. Consider how thou contradictest "the end of GoJi
in giving these things. lie gave them to help' thee
to him, and dost ihou take up with them in hifstead ?
He gave them that they might be refreshments in thy
journey ; and Tvouldst thou now dwell in thy inn, and
go no further ? Thou dost not only contradict God
herein, but los-st t1iat benefit ^vhich thou mightest
receive by them, yea, and mukest ihem thy great
hurt and hindrance. JSureiy, it may be said of all our
comforts and all ordinances and the blessedest enjoy-
ments in the church on earth, as God said to the Is-
raelites, of his ark, Num. x. 33. The ark of- the cove-
nant went before (htnii To .search outfox them a resting-
place. So do all God's mercies here. They are
not that rest (as John professeth he was not the Christ)
but they arc voices crying in this wilderness, to bid
us prepare; for the kingdom of God, our true rest,
is at hand. Therefore to rest here, were to turn all
mercies clean contrary to their own ends, and our own
advantages, and to desircy ourselves with that which
should help us.

3. Consider, whether it be not the most probable
way to cause God, either, first, to deny those mercies
which we desire ; or, secondly, to take from us these
which we enjoy ; or, thirdly, to imbilter them, or
curse them to us ? Certainly, God is no where so jea-
lous as here : if you had a servant whom your wife
loved better than she did yourself, would you not take
it ill of such a v.ife. and rid your house of such a ser-
vant ? Why so, if the Lord see you begin to settle in
the world, and say, here I will rest, no wonder if he
soon in his jealonsy unsettle you. If he love you^ no
wonder if he take that from you wherewith he sees yor.
iibout to destroy yourselves.

It hath been long my observation of many, that
when they have attempted great wor4vS, and have jut^'

The Saints Everlasting I^est, 263

<:>

finished ihem ; or have aimed at great things in the
world, and have just obtained them : or have lived in
much trouble, and just come to begin \Tith some eon-
tent to look upon their condition, and rest in it, they
are near to death and ruin. When a man is once at
this language, Soid take thy case ; the next news usu-
ally is, Thou fool^ this nighty or this month, or this
year, shall thy soul be required of thee^ and then whose
shall these things be I O what house is there where
this fool dwelleth not ? Let you and 1 consider, whe-
ther this be not our own case. Have not I after such
an unsettled life, and after so many longings and
prayers for these days ! Have not I thought of them
with too much content, and been ready to say, S^ml
take thy rest? Have not I comforted myself more in
the fore-thoughts of enjoying these, than of coming
to heaven, and enjoying God ? What wonder then if
God cut me off", v/hen 1 am just sitting clown in this
supposed rest ? And hath not the like been your con-
dition ? Many of you have been soldiers, driven from
house and home, endured a life of trouble and blood,
been deprived of ministry and means : did you not
reckon up all the comforts you should have at your re-
turn. ; and gladden your liearts with such thoughts,
more than with the thoughts of your coming to
heaven ? Why, what wonder if God now cross you,
and turn some of your joy into sadness ? Many a ser-
vant of God hath been destroyed from the earth, by
being over-valued and over-loved. I pray God you
may take warning from the time to come, that you rob
not yourselves of all your mercies. I am persuaded
our discontents and murmurings are not so provoking
to God, nor so destructive to the sinner, as our too
sweet enjoying, and rest of spirit, in a pleasing state.
If God hath crossed any of you in wife, children,
goods, friends, either by taking them from you, or
the comfort of them : try whether this be not the
cause ; for wheresoever your desires stop, and you

264 The Saints^ Everlasting Rest,

say, now I arn veil ; that condition you make yowr
god, and engage the jealousy of God against it.
Whether you be friends to God or enemies, you can
never expectthatGod should suffer you quietly to en-
joy your idols.

4. Consider, if God should suffer thee thus to tcke.
up thy rest here, it were one of the j^reatest curses
that could befal thee : it were better for thee if ihou
never hadst a day of ease in the vrorld ^ for then Avea-.
riness might make thee setk after true rest. But if
he should suffer thee to sit down and rest here, where
were thy rest when this deceives thee ? A restless
wretch thou wouldsi be tiirough all eternity. To have
their good things on the earth, is the lot of the most
miserable perishing sinners. Doth it become chris-
tians then to expect so much here ? Our rest is our
heaven ; and where we take our rest, there we na^e
our heaven : and wouldst thou have but such a heaven
as this? It will be but a handful of waters to a man
that is drowning, which will help to destroy, but not
to save him.

5. Consider thou seekest rest where it is not to be
found, and so wilt lose all thy labour. I think I shall '
easily evince this by these clear demonstrations fol-
lowing :

First^ Our rest is only in the full obtaining our ulti-
mate end ; but that is not to be expected in this life.
Is God to be enjoyed in the best reformed church
here, as he is m heaven ? You confess he is not ; how
little of God, (not only) the multitude of the blind
world, but sometimes the saints themselves enjoy!
And how poor comforters are the best ordinances and
enjoyments without God I Should a traveller take up
his rest in the way ? No, because his home is his jour-
ney's end. When you have all that creatures and means

Th€ Saints' Everlastmg Rest. 265-

can afford, have you that you sought for ? Have you
that you believe, pray, sufier for ? I think you dare
not $ay so. Why then do we once dream of resting
iicrc ? We arc hke little children strayed from home,;
and God is now fetching us home ; and we are ready
10 turn into any house, stay and play with every things
in our way, and sit down on every green bank, and
much ado there is to get us home.

Seco7idlij, As we have not yet obtained our end, so
are we in the midst of labours and dauf^ers ; and is
there any resting here? What painful work doth lie
upon our hands ! Look to our brethren, to our soula^
to God; and what a deal of work in respect of each
of these, doth lie before us ! And can we rest in our
labours ? Indeed v/e may ease ourselves sometimes in
our troubles ; but that is not the rest we arc now
speaking of; we may rest on earth, as the ark is said
to rest in the midst of Jordan, Josh. iii. 13. Or as
the angels of heaven arc desired to turn in, and rest
them on earth, Gen. xviii. 4. They would have been
loth to have taken up their dwelling there. Should
Israel have settled his rest in the wilderness, among
serpents, and enemies, and weariness, and famine ?
Should Noah have made the ark his home, aiid been
loth to come forth when the waters were fallen t
Should the mariner choose his dwelling on the sea,
and settle his rest in the midst of rocks, and sandsj and
tempests. Though he may adventure through all these,
for a commodity of worth : yet I think he takes it
not for his rest. Should a soldier rest in the midst of
fight when he is in the very thickest of his enemies ?
And are not christians such travellers, such mariners,
such soldiers ? Have you not fears within, and trou-
bles without ? Are we not in the thickest of continual
dangers ? We cannot eat, drink, sleep, labour, pray,
hear or confer, but in the midst of snares : and shall
we sit down and rest here ? O christian, follow thj

266 The Saints* Everhsting I\e^t.

v'ork, look to thy danger, hold on to the end ; w'u:;
the" field and come olF the ground, before you think
of sctthng to rest. I read that Christ, when he was on
the cross, comforted the converted thief with this,
This day shah thou be Hvith me in fiaradise : but if he
had only comforted hhn wi:h teUing him, that he
should rest thereon the cross, would he not have taken
t for a derison ? Methinks it should be ill resting iu
he midst of sicknesses and painf?, persecution and dis-
resses ; one would think it should be no contented
dwelling for Iambs among volv^s. I s:\y therefore to
every one tha't thixiketh of rest on earlh, .Arine ye,
drjiarty this is rici your re&t.-

€. Consult w^ith experience, bolh other men^s and
your own ; many thousands have made trial, but did
ever one of these find a sufiicient rest for liis soul on
earth? Delights I deny not but they have found; but
rest and satisfaction they never found : and shall we
think to find that which never man could find before
us ? Ahab's kinjs;dom is nothing to him except he liad
also Naboth*s vineyard, and did that satisfy him when
he had obtained it ? If we had conquered the wiiole
v/orld, we «hould perhaps do .as Alexander, sit down
and weep, because there was rever anoiher world to
conquer. Go ask lionour, is there rest here ? Why
you may as well rest on the top of the tempestuous
mountains, or in Etna's flames. Ask riches, is there
rest here? Even such as in a bed of thorns. Enquire
of worldly pleasure and ease, can they give you any*
tidings of true rest? Even such as the fish in swallow-
ing the bait ; when the pleasure is sweetest, death is
the nearest. Such is the rest that all worldly pleasures
afford. Go to learning, to the purest, plcniifullest,
powerfullest ordinances, or compass sea and land to
iindout the most perfect church ; and enquire whether
there your soul may rest I You might happily receive
fr©m the-scan olive branch of hope, as they are meaia*

The Saints' Everlasting Rest. 2^7

to your rest, and have relation to ctciTiity ; but in re-
gard of any satisfaction in themselves, you would re-
main as restless as ever. O how well might all these
answer us, as Jacob did Rachel, Am I instead of God ?
So may the highest perfections on earth say, are we
instead of God I Go take a view of all estates of men
in the world, and see whether any of them have found
this rest. Go to the husbandman, behold his endless
labours, his continual care and toil, and weariness,
and ycu will easily see, that there is no rest; go to
the tradesman, and you shall find the like ; if I should
send you lower, you would judge your labour lost;
go to the painful minister, and there you will yet
more easily be satisfied ; for though his spendinrj,-, end-
less labours are e>:ceedini^ sweet, yet it is not because
they are his rcst, but in reference to his people's, and
his own eternal rest : if you would ascend to magis-
tracy, and enquire at the throne, you would find ther«
is no condition so restless. Doubtless neither court,
nor country, towns or cities, shops or fields, treasuries,
libraries, solitariness, society, studies, or pulpits, can
afford any such thing as this rest. If you could en-
quire of the dead of all generations, or if you could
ask the living through all dcminicn they woul d all
tell you, here is no rest :and ali mankind may say^
^U our days are fscrroiu, and our lubnur is griefs mi^l,
•ttr hearts take no rcity Eccles. ii. 23.

If other men's experience move you not, do but
take a view of your own : can you remember the ef-
tatc that did fully satisfy you ? Or if you could, will it
prove a lasting state ? Tor my own part, I have run
through several states of life, and though I never had
the necessities which might occasion discontent, y<^
did I never find a settlement for my soul ; and I be-
lieve we may all say of our rest, as Paul of our hope*,
If it were in this life onlu^ we lUcre of all men mot
miserr^blc. If then either scripture, or reason, or th*;

268 The Saints' Lver lasting Rest.

experience of ourselves, and all the -world will satisfy
us, Ave may see there is no resting here. And yet
how guilty arc the generality of us of this sin I How
many halts and stops do we make, before we will
make the Lord our rest I How mur.t God even drive
us, and fire us out of every condition, lest we should
sit down and rest there \ If he give us prosperityj
riches, or honour, wc do in our hearts dance before
them, as the Israelites before their calf, and say, These
ere our gods ^ and conclude it is good being here. If
he imbitter all these to us by crosses, how do we strive
'lO have the cross removed, and are restless till our
condition be sweetened to us, that we may sit dovrn
again and rest where we were ? If the Lord, seeing
our pervcrseness, shall now proceed in the cure, and
take the creature quite avray, then \\ovf do we labour^
and care, and cry, and pray, that God v/ould restore
it, that we may make it our rest again I And v/hile
we are deprived of its enjoyment, and have not our
former idol, yet rather than come to God, we de-
light ourselves in our hopes of recovering our former
•tate ; and as long as there is the least likelihood of
obtaining it, v/e make those very hopes our rest ; if
the poor by labouring all their days, have but hopes
©f a fuller estate when they are old (though an hun-
dred to one they die before they have obtained it) yet
do they rest themselves on those expectations. Or if
God doth take away both present enjoyments, and
all hopes of recovering them, how do we search about
from creature to creature, to find out something to
supply the room, and to settle upon instead thereof I
Yea, if we can find no supply, but are sure we shall
live in poverty, in sickness, in disgrace, while we.
are on earth, yet will we rather settle in this misery,
and make a rest of a wretched being, than we Will
leave all and come to God.

The Saints'' Everlaatinq; Rest, 26^3

<:>

A man would think, that a multitude of poor
people who beg their bread, or can scarce with their
hardest labour have sustenance for their lives, should
easily be driven from resting here, and willingly
look to heaven for rest ; and the sick, who have not
a day of ease, or any hope of recovery left them.
But O the cursed aversencss of our souls from Cod I
We will rather account our misery, our happin<;ss, yea
that which we daily groan under as intolerable, than
we will take up our happiness in God. If any place
in hell were tolerable, the soul would rather take up
its rest there, than come to God. Yea, when he is
bringing us over to him, and hath convinced us of
the worth of his ways and service, the last deceit of
all is here, we will rather settle upon those ways that
lead to him, and those ordinances that speak of him,
and those gifts which flow fiom him, thaa we will-
come clean ovi-r to himself.

Marvel not that I speak so much of resting in these ^ -
beware lest it prove thy ov»n case : I suppose thou artT
soconvincedof the vanity of riches and honour, and
pleasure, that thou canst more easily disclaim these :
but for thy spiritua: helps, thou lookest on these with
less suspicion, and thinkest thou canst not delight in
them too much, especially seeing most of the world
despise them or delight in them too little. But doth
not the increase of those helps dull thy longings after
heaven ? I know tj^e means of grace mu&t be loved
and valued ; and he that delighteth in any worldly
thing more than in them, is not a christian : but
when we aie content with duty instead of God, and
had rather be at a sermon than in heaven ; and a mem-
ber of a church here, than of that perfect church, and
rejoice in ordinances but as they arc part of our earthr
\j prosperity : this is a sad mistake.

The Saints* Everlasting- Rest.

d

So far rejoice in the creature as it comes from God,
or leads to him, or brin^^^s thee some report of his
love : so far let thy soul take comfort in ordinances
as God doth accompany them, or gives himself unto
thy soul by them : still remembering, when thou hast
even what thou dost most desire, yet this is not hea-
ven ; yet these are but the first fruits. It is not enough
that God allowelh us all the comfort of travellers,
and accordingly to rejoice in all his mercies, but we
must set up our staff as if we are at home. While
we are at present in the body, we are absent from the
Lord^ and \y\\\\z we are absent from him we are
absent from our rest. If God were as willing to be
absent from us as we fiom him, and if he were as
loth to be our rest, as we are loth to rest in him,
we should be left to an eternal restless separation. la
a word, as you are sensible of the sinfulness of your
earthly discontents, so be you also of your irregular
contents, and pray God to pardon them much more-
wAnd above all the plagues and judgments of God on
this side hell, see tint you wateh a»d pray against
this [ of settling any where short of heaven, or repos-
ing your souls on any thing below God.] Or else>
when the bough which you tread on bre?ks, and the
tilings which you rest upon deceive you, you will
perceive your labour all lost, and your highest hopes
will make you ashamed. Try if you can persuade
Satan to leave tempting, and the world to cease trou-
bling and seducing ; if you can^ bring the glory of
God from above, or rcm-ove the court from heaven to
earth, and secure the continuance of this tlirough eter-
nity, then settle yourselves below, and say, Soul, take
thy rest here ; but till tlien admit not 8ucb a thought^

Th<: Saints^ Everlasting Rent. 27 J

CHAP. II.

Motives to Ilcavenhj-inhulcdiie^s.

WE have now by the guidance of the ".vord of
the Lord, and by the assistance cf his Spirit, shewed
you the nature of the rest of the saints ; and ac-
quainted you with some duties in relation thereto :
We come now to the close of all, to press you to the
great duty which I chiefly intended when I began this
subject.

is there a rer^t, and such a rest remaining for us ? ^
Why then are our thoughts no more upon it? Why
are not our hearts continually there I V/hy d-well we
not there in constant contemplation : Ask your hearts
in good earnest, What is the ca*ise of this nej'.kct?
Hath the eternal God provided us such a 5:lory, and
promised to take us up to d^vell Avith himsell ? And
is not this worth the thinking on ? Should not the
strongest desires of our hearts be after it : and the
d^ily delights of our souls be there ? Can we forgtt
and neglect it ? What is the matter ? Will not Cod
give us leave to approach tiiis light ? Or will he not
suffer our souls to taste and see it ? Then what mean
ail his earnest invitations; Why doth he so condemn-
our eart}ily-minc'e:dness, and command us to set our
affections above ? If the fore-thoughts of glory -were
forbidden fruits, perhaps we should be sooner drawn
unto them. Sure I am, "where God hath forbidden
us to place our thoughts ai.d our delights, thither it
tis easy enough to dravY' them. If he say, love net
the world, nor the things of the world, we doat upon
it nevertheless. How unweariedly can we think cf
vanity, and day after day em.ploy our minds about it i
j^Jid have we no thoughts of this our rest ? Hoy*'

t72 The ^ulnt^' Evcrla^ciri^^ Re:.U

o

freely and how frequently can we think of our plea-
sures, QUI friends, our labours, our flesh, our studies,
our news: yea, our very miseries, our wrongs, our
suiT^rin^s, and our f^ars I But whcre^is the christian
wliosc heart is on this rest ? What is the matter i Why
are we ntjt taken up with the views of gJory, and
our souls more accustomed to these dcliglitful medi-
tations ? Are we so full of joy that we jieed no more ;
or is there no matter in heaven for our joyous thought:=r
or rather, are not our hearts carnal and blockish I
Earth will tend to earth. Had we more spirit, it
would be otherwise \nth us. As St. Augustin cast by
C^icero's writings, because they contained not the name-
of Jesus ; so let us humble and cast down these sen-
sual hearts, that have in them no more of Ciu'ist and
^lory. As we should not own our duties any further
than somewhat of C'hrist is in them, so should we
no further ov»'n our hearts : and as we should delight
in the creatures no longer than they have rtftrence to
Christ and etcrniiy, so no further should we approve
of owT own hearts. Why did Christ pronounce his
disciples* eyes and ears blessed, but as they were the
doors to Let in Christ by his works and VvOids into their
heart ? lilesscd are the eyes that so see, and the ears
that so hear, that the heart is thereby raised to this
heavenly frame. Sirs, so much of your hearts as is
empty of Christ and heaven, let it be filled with sham«^
and sorrow, and not with ease.

But let me turn my reprehension to exhortation^
that you would turn this conviction into reformation.
And I have the more hope, because I here address,
myself to nten of conscience, that dare not Tvilfully
disobey God ; yea, because to men whose portion is.
there, whose hopes are there, and who have forBaken.
all, that they may enjoy this glory ; and shall I be dis-
coura, ed from persuading such to be heavenly mind-
«d ? If you will not hear and obey, who will \ Who*

T.he Sairits'* Everlasting /ic^r. tr3

ever ihou art therefore that rcadest the^e lines, 1 re-
quire il'.er, as .thou tendcrcst lliir.e ailegisnce to ll^.e
God of htavcn, as t\iv ihou hopest Ibr a part in this
glory, that thou presently take thy heurt to task ;
chide it for its wilful slrcingenoss to God ; turn thy
th.oirc^ht from the pursuit of va:iity, bend t)iy soul to
study eternity ; habluiale thyself to such coutempla-
tions, and let not those thoughts be seldom and cur-
sory, bu:: settle upon them ; d.vell here, bathe thy
soul in heaven's delights ; drench thine affections in
these rivers of pleasure : and if thy backward soul
begin to Ihg^ and thy tUouj^hts to fly abroad, call
them back, hold them to their work, pui them on,
bear not \r\\]\ their iazir.ess ; and when thou hast
once tried tMs work, and followed on till thou hast
got acquainted with ir, and kept a close gmrd upoa
ti)y thout',hts till they arc accustomed to obey, thou
wilt then find thyself in the suburbs of heaven, and
as it were in a new world ; thou wilt then find that
there is sweetness in the work and way of God, and
that the life of Christianity is a life of joy: thou wilt
meet with those abundant consolations which thou
hast pra)ed, and pantot', and groaned" after, and
which i-o few christians obtain, because they know
not the way to them, or else make not conscience of
walking in it.

You sec the work now before you ; thid. this is
that I would fain persuade you to practise ; let me be-
speak your consciences in the name of Christ, and
command you by the authority I have received from
Christ, that you faithfully set upon this duty, and fix
your eye more steadfastly on your rest. Do not won-
der that 1 persuade you so earnestly : though indeed
if we were truly reasonable men", it wculd be a won-
der that men should need so much persuasion to so
sweet and plain a duty: but I know the employnunc
isbigh^the hexirt is earihly, ltA will still dra^y back i

274 The 3a' n! 3* Everlasting Rat.

the tr.rr,ptarions r.nd l.irKirnTiccs Mill be inany and
great, and ilicrcfore I fear all llicse iK-'rauasions are lit-
tle eiiouf'jli : i^ay nos We a: e uni\l>!e lo scloui*o\Tn
heai-ts on heaven, this must be the woik ct'C.od :
Ihcrcf-Te all your exhortation is in vain. Ilelljpu
thou.;;jh God be the cliicf di-poscr of your hearts, yet
next under him you have tiic greatest command of
them yourselvep, and a great power in theo:derinrj
of your o.vn thou^;hts, and determiuin.^ your ov.a
wills: thouLch without Christ you can do nothing,
yet undtr him yo.i may Co much, and must do much,
or el»e you v/ill be undor.c through your neglect ;
do your own pans, aid yt-u have no Cduse to distrust
•whether Christ will do his.

I wiii JKre lay down «orne considerations, wliich
if you will lr.it de]ib;;r:iteiy weigh with an impartial
judgment, I doubt not will prove effectual with your
hearts, and make you resolve upon this excellent duty.

I. Consider, a heart set- upon heaven, wiil be one
•f the most unquestionable evidences of a true work.
of savin.^ grace upon thy soul. Would you h^ve x
sign iiifallibb, not from nne, or from the mouth of
any man, but from the mouth of Jesus Christ himself,
whieh all the enemies of the use of marks can lay no
exceptions ai^ainst ? Why here is such a one. Matt.
vi. 21. IVhere yrur trca.'^ure t"?, thn-e ii;iU yovr heart
be ado. Know once assuredly where your heail is, and
you may ea.^ily know that your treasure is there.
Ciod is the saini*3 trcriasuve and happiness ^ heaven is
the place where ttuy fully enjoy him : a heart there-
fore si-t upon heaven, is no more but a heart set upon
Ciol, desiring this full enjoyment : ancV surely a
heurt set upon God throut^h Christ, is the truest tvi-
dence of saviu'^ grace. External actions are the ca-
sie:.t discovered ; but those of the heart are the surest
evideiices. '\Vheu tliy learninjj will be no good proof

Ths SahiU' Everlasting Rest, 275

^ftl^y grace ; when thy knowledge, thy (^utit;s, and
thy tyifis will Tail thee, when a'-t^uments fiom thy
tongue and thy hand may beconTulcd : then will this
argument from the bent of thy heart preve thee sin-
cere. Take a poor christian tliat can scarce speak
English about religion, that hath a weak undeislaix!-
ing, a failing ir.emory, a stamm'.rliig tongue, yet his
heart is set on God, he hath chosen him for lus por-
tion, his thoughts r.re on eternity, liis desires tiierc,
his dwelling there : he cries out, O that 1 were there \
he takes that day for a time of impr'sonmcnt, where-
in h« hath not taken one rcfresliing view of eteinUy.
I had rather d^e in this man's condition, than in the
case of him tliat hath the most emi icnt p:ifi§, and is
■most admired for parts and duty, whose heart is not
taken up with God. The man that Christ w-ili find
out at the last day, and cendcmn forwiantof a wed-
ding-garment, will be him that wants this frame of
heart. The question v/ill not then be, how much
you have known or talked? but, how much have you
loved, and where was your heart ? Why then, as yc«
would have a sure testimony of the love ofCiod, and
A sure proof of your title to glory, labour to get youv
hearts above. God wiii acknowledge you love lilra,
when he sees your hearts are set upon him. Get but
your hearts once truly in heaven, and without all
question yourselves will follow. If sin and Saian keep
jiot thence your affections, they will never be able to
keep away your perhcns.

2. Consider, a heavenly mind is a joyful mind :
this is the nearest and the truest way to comfort ; and
without this you must needs be uncomfortable. Can
a man be at the fiie, and not be warm ? or in the
feun&hine, and net have light ; Can your heart be in
heaven, and not have couifoi t ? What could make
•such frozen uncomfortable christians, but living so far
«s they do froui heaven ? And what makes ethers s«

276 The Samts* Everlasting ResU

warm in comlbrls, but their frequent access so near
to God? When the sun in the spring clraws near our
part ol the earth, how do all things congratulate it»
approach I The earth looks green and casteth oif her
iiiourniiig habit ; the trees shoot Ibrth ; the plants
revive ; the birds sing ; tlie face of all things smile*
upon us, and all the creatures below rejoice. If >re
would but keep these hearts above, what a spring
would be within us y and all our graces b^ fresh and
green 1 How w culd tl;e face of our souls be ch^inged,
and all that is within us rejoice! How should wc
farget our wiiiter-oorrows, and withdraw our souU
from our sad rtlirenients 1 How early should we rise
(as those birdi in the sjjring) to sing the praise of our
great Creator ! O christian ! get above : believe it,
that region is warmer than this below. Those that
have been tiierc have found it so, ai.d these that have
come thence have told us so ; and I doubt not bttt
ihou hast sometimes tried it thyself. I dare appeal to
thy own experience : when is it that you liave largest
comforts I Is it not after such an exercise as this,
when thou hast got up thy heart, and conversed with
God, and talked with the in'nabitants of the higher
world, and viewed the mansions of the saints and an-
gels, and filled thy sou! with the fore-thoughts of
glory? If thou knowest by experience what this prac-
tice is, 1 dare say thou knoweat what spiritual joy is.
If it be the countenance of God that fills us with joy,
then they that most behold it, must be fullest of these
joys. If you never liitd this, nor lived this life of
fieavenly contemplation, I never wonder that you
walk uncomfortsibly, and know not what the joy of
the saints means ; ci*n you have comforts f?-om God,
und never thir.k of him? Can h craven rejoice you
when you do not remember it ? Doth any thing in
the world gladden you, when you think not on it?
Whomshoul't we blame then, that w< are so void of
ooasolation, bui our own negligent unskilful hearts ?

I

The Saint's Everlasting Rest. 277

God haih provided us a crown of glery, and pro-
mised lo set it shortly on our heads, and ^ve will not
so much as think of it : he holdeth it out lo us, and
biddeth us behold and rejoice ; and we will not so
much as look at it. What a pervNtrse course is this|
both against God and our own joys .

I confess, though in fleshly things the presenting a
comforting object is sufficient to produce an ansMera-
ble delight, yet in spirituals wc are more disabled : '
God must give the joy itself, as v/eli as afford us
matter for joy ; but yet withal, it must be remem-
bered, that God doth work upon us as men, iind in
a rational way doth raise our comforts : he enabletU
and exciteth us to mind these delightful objects, and
from thence to gather our own comforts ; therefore
he that is most skilful and painful in this gatherinn-
art, is usually the fullest of the spiritual sweetness.
It is by believing that wc are filled with joy and peace;
and no longer than we continue our believing. It is
in hope that the saints rejoice, yea, in this hope of
the glory of God : and no longer than they continue
hoping. And here let me warn you of a dangerous
snare, an opinion which will rob you of all your com-
fort 'f some think, if they should thus fetch in their
own by believing and hoping, and work it out of
scripture promises by their own thinking and study-
ing, then it would be a comfort only of their own
hammering out (as they say) and not the genuine J07
of the Holy Ghost. A desperate mistake, raised up-
on a ground that would overthrow almost all duty,
as well as this ; which is their setting the workings
of God's Spirit and their own spirit in opposition,
when their spirils must stand in subordination to God's:
they are conjunct'causes, co-operating to the product-
ingofoneand the same effect. God's Spirit work-
eth our comforts by setting our own spirits at work
upon the promises, and raising our thoughts to the
A a

378 The SainU'* Everlastmg Rc^L

place of our comforts. As you would delight a co-
vetous man by shewing liim Haoney, or a voluptuous
man with fleshly deiij;l;is : so God uselh lu delight
his people, by takini^ them as it were by the hand,
and leading them into heaven, and shewing them
iiimself, and tlieu- rest with him. God uscth not lo
cast in our joys while we arc idle, or laken up with
other things. It is true, he sometimes doth it sud-
denly, buL usually in the aforesaid ordt r : and his
sometimes sudden, extraordinary casting of coiufort-
ing thoughts in our beans, should be so fur fioui hin-
dering tndeavoursin a meditating way, that it should
be a singular motive to quicken us to it ; even as a
taste given us of some cordial, will make us desire and
seek the rest. God feedeth not saints as birds do
liicir young, bringing it to them, antf putting it iu
their mouth, while they lie still in the nest, and only
gape to receive it : but as he giveth to man the fruits
of the earth, the increase of our land in corn and
wine, while we plough and sow, and weed, and wa-
ter, and dung, and dress, and then with patience ex-
pect his blessing ; so doth he give the joys of the soul.
Vet I deny not, that if any should think so to work
out his own comforts by meditation, as lo aticmpt
the work in his own strength, the work avouM prove
to be like the workman, and the condoit he would
gather, >voukl be like both; even mere vanity ; e>eii
as the husbunch-nan'slaLottr wiihouL iLc i>uu, iind ruin,
and blessing of God.

So then you may easily see, that close medUatioii
on the matter and cause of your joy, is Ciod's way
to procure solid joy. For my part, if I sliould find
my joy of another kind, 1 should he very prone to
doubt of lis sincerity. If I find a great deal of com-
fort, and know not how it came, nor upon what ra-
tional ground it was raised, nor what considerations
feed and continue it, I should be ready to question

The SaintiP Everlasting Rest. 27^

whether this be from God. Our love to God should
not be like that of fond lovers, who love violently,
but they know not why. I think a christian's joy
should be rational joy, and not to rejoice and know
not why. In some extraordinary case, God may cast
in such an extraordinary kind of joy : yet it is not his
usual way. And if you observe the spirit of most un-
comfortable christians, you will find the reason to be
their expectation of such kind of joys ; and according-
ly are their spirits variously tossed, and inconstantly-
tempered : when they meet with such joys, then they
are cheerful and lifted up ; but because these are usu-
ally short-lived, therefore they are straight as lov/ as
hell. And thus Ihey are tossed as a vessel at sea, up
and down, but still in extremes ; whereas alas, God
is most constant, Christ th'j same, heaven the same,
and the promise the same ; and if we took the right
course for fetching in our comfort from these, sure
ourcomfortswouldbemorescttledand constant, though
not always the same. Whoever thou art therefore that
readest these lines, 1 entreat thee in the name of the
Lord, and ai thou valuest the life of constant joy,
and that good conscience which is a continual feast,
that thou wouldst seriously set upon this work, and
learn the art of heavenly-mindet ness, and thou shalt
lind the increase an hundred fold, and the benefit
abundantly exceed ll.y Lvi^L-.;.'.

5. Consider, a heart in heaven will be a most ex-
cellent preservative against temptations, and a pow-
erful means to save the conscience from the wounds
of sin : God can prevent our sinning, though we be
careless, and sometimes doth ; but this is not his usu-
al course : nor is this our safest way to escape. When
the mind is either idle, or ill employed, the devil
needs not a greater advantage : if he find but the
mind empty, there is room for any thin;; that he will
bring in ; but when he finds the heart in heaven, what

i280 The Saints^ Everlasting Rest.

hope that liis motions should take ? Let him entice
to any forbidden course, the soul will return Nehemi-
ah*s answer, / am dohig a grf^at ivork and cannot
comc^ Neh. ri. 3. Several ways will this preserve u»
against temptation. Firsts by keeping the heart era-
ployed, Secondly^ By clearing the understanding, and
confirming the will. Thirdly^ By prc-posscssing the
afrections. Fourthly, By kecpinj;- us in the way of
God's blessing.

First, By keeping the heart employed : when we
are idle, we ternpt the devil to us ; as it is an
encouragement to a thief, to see your doors open, and
nobody within ; and as we use to say, " Careless per-
** sons make thieves ;" so it will encourage Satan, to
find your heart idle : hut when the heart is taken up
with God, it cannot have time to hearken to tempta-
tion ; it cannot have time to be lustful and wanton,
timbkious or worldly.

If you were but busied in your lawful callings, you
would not be so ready to hearken to temptations ;
much less if you were busied above with God : will
you leave your plough a'Ad harvest in the field ? Or
leave the quenching of a fire in your houses, to run
hunting of butterflies ? Would a judge rise, when he
is sitting upon life and death, to go and play among
the boys in the streets ! No more will a christian,
when he is busy with God, give ear to the alluring
charms of Satan. The love of God is never idle : it
"worketh great things where it truly is ; and when it
will not work, it is not love. Therefore being still thus
working, it is still preserving.

Secondly, A heavenly mind is freest from sin, be-
cause it is of clearest understanding in spiritual mat-
ters. A man that is much in conversing above, hath
truer and livelier appehensions of things concerning^

Ths Saints' Everlasting Rest, 281

God and his soul, than any reading or learning can
bei^ct : thoue;h perhaps he may be ignorant in divers
controversies, and matters that less concern salvation:
yet tliose truths which must establish his soul, and
preserve him Irom temptation, he knows fr.r better
than the greatest scholars ; he hatli so deep an insight
into the evil of sin, the vanity of the creature, the
brutishness of sensual delights, that temptations have
little power on him ; for these earthly vanities are Sa-
tan's baits, which with the clear-si hted have lost their
force. I71 van (scdlh Solomon) the net l8 spread 'n the
sight of any bird. And in vain doth Satan lay his
snares to entrap the soul that plainly sees them. When
the heavenly mind is above with God, he may from
thence discern every danger that lies below : nay, if
he did not discover the snare, yet were he likelier far
to escape it than any others. A net or bait that i»
laid on the ground, is unlikely to catch the bird that
flies in the air : while she keeps above, she is out of
the danger, and the higher the safer ; so it is with us.
Satan's temptations are laid on the earth, earth is the
place, and the earth is the ordinary bait: how shall these
ensnare the christian, who hath left the earth, and
walks with God ?

Do you not sensibly perceire, that when your heart*
are seriously fixt on heaven, you become wiser than
before ' Are not your vmderstandings more solid ; and
your thoughts more sober? Have you not truer appre-
hensions of things than you had ? For my own part,
if I eve'- be wise, it is when I hare been much above,
and seriously studied the life to come : methinks I find
my understanding after such contem.plations, as much
to difilr from what it was before, as I before differed
from a fool or an ideot : when my understanding is
Weakened and befooled with common employment,
and with conversing long with the vanities below, me-
thinks a fcvf sober thoughts of my Father's houie, ami
A a 3

«32 The Saints^ Everlasting I^esU

the blessed provision *of his family in heaven, doth
make me (with a prodigal) to come to myself again.
Surely, when a christian withdraws himself from his
earthly thoughts, and begins to converse with God
in heaven, he is a Nebuchadnezzar, taken from the
beasts of the field to the throne, and his understanding
returneth to him again. O when a christian hath had
but a glimpse of eternity, and then looks down on the
world again, how doth he say to his laughter, l^hou
art mad ! And to his vain mirth. What clout thou ^
How could he even tear his flesh, and take revenge on
himself for his tolly ! How verily doth he think that
there is no man in Bedlam so mad, as wilful sinners,
and lazy betrayers of their own souls, and unworthy
slighters of Christ and glory I

Do you not think (except men are stark devils) that
it would be a harder matter to entice a man to sin,,
when he lies a dying, than it was before ? If the de-
vil, or his instruments, should then tell him of a cup
of sack, of merry company, or of a stage-play, do you
think he would then be so taken with the motion ? If
he should then tell him of riches, or honors, or shew
him cards, or dice, or a qpurtesan, would the tempta-
tion (think you) be as strong as before ? Woukl he
not answer, Alas ! wkiat is all this to me, Avfco must
presently appear before God, and give account of all
my life, and sti*aight\vays be in another world ? Why,
if the apprehension of the nearness of eternity will
work such strange effects upon the ungodly, and make
them wiser than to be deceived so easily as they were
wonttobein time of health ; what effects would it
work in thee, if thou couldst always dwell in the views
of God, and in lively thoughts ef thine everlasting
state ? Surely, a believer, if he improve his faith, may
have truer apprehensions of the life to come, in the
tims of his health, than an unbeliever hath at the

hour of his death.

The Saints' Everlasting Rent. 283

Thirdly, a heavenly mind is fortified against tempta-
tions, because the afl'ections are pre-possessed with the
delights of another world. When the soul is not af-
fected wiih s^ood, though the understanding never so
clearly appreliend the truth, it is easy for Satan to en-
tice that soul. IVIere speculations (be they never so
true) which sink not into the aifections, are poor pre-
servatives against temptations. He that loves most,
and not he that knows most, will easiest resist the
motions of sin. There is in a christian akind of spi-
ritual taste, whereby he knows these things, besides
his mere reasoning power : the will doth as sweetly
relish goodness, as the understanding doth truth ; and
here lies much of a christian's strength. If yeu
should dispute with a simple man, and labour to per-
suade him that sugar is not svi'ect, or that wormv.ood
is not bitter ; perhaps you might with sophistry over-
argue his mere reason, but yet yovi could not persuade
him against his sense ; whereas a man that hath lost
his taste, is easier deceived for all his reason. So it
is here. When thou hast had a fresh delightful taste
of heaven, thou \vilt not be so easily persuaded from
it : you cannot persuade a very child to part with his
apple, while the taste of its sweetness is yet in its
mouth.

O that you would be persuaded to be much in feed-
ing on the hidden manna, and to be frequently tasting
the delights of heaven ! It is true, it is a great way
off from our sense, but faith can reach as far as that.
How would this raise thy resolutions, and make thee
laugh at the fooleries of the world, and scorn to be
cheated with such childish toys ! What if the devil
had set upon Paul whun he was in the third heaven ?
Could he then have persuaded his heart to the plea-
sures, or profits, or honours of the world ? Though
the Israelites below may be enticed to idolatry, and
from eating and drinking to rise up to play ; yet Moses
in the mount with Cod will not do so : and if thev

2 8 4- The Saints^ Everlasting Rest,

Jiad been where he was, and had but seen what lie
there saw. ])erhaps they would not so easily have sin-
ned. O if we coiikl keep our souls continually de-
li.^htcd with the sweetness aijove, v.'ith what disdain
sliou'd we spit out the baits of sin !

Fourthly, Whilst the heart is set on heaven, a
man is uiuler God's prouction ; and therefore if Satan
then assault him, God is more engaged for his de-
fence.

Let me entreat thee then, if thou be a man that is
haunted with temptation, (as doubtless thou art, if
thou be a man) if thou perceive thy danger, and
wouldst fain escape it ; use much this powerful re-
medy, keep close with God by a heavenly mind ; and
,when the temptation comes, go straight to heaven,
and turn thy thoughts to higher things ; Uiou shalt find
this a surer help than any other. Follow your busi-
ness above with Christ, and keep your thoughts to
their heavenly employment^ and you sooner will this
way vaaquish the temptation, than if you argued or
talked it out with the tempter.

4. Consider the diligent keeping of your hearts oa
heaven, will preser\e the vigour of all your graces,
and put life into your duties. It is the heavenly chris-
tian, that is the lively christian : it is our strangeness
to heaven that makes ui so dull : it is the end that
quickt-ns all the means ; and the more fiequently and
clearly this end is beheld, the more vigorous will all
our motions be. How doth it make men unweariedly
labour, and fearlessly venture, when they do but think
of the gainful prize ! How will the soldier hazard his
life, and the mariner pass through storms and waves !
How cheerfully do they compus^i sea and land, when
they tlunk of ^n uncertain perishing treasure ! O
what life iheu would it put into a christian's endea-

The Saints* Everlasting Rest. 285"

vours, if he would frequently think of his everlasting
treasure ! We run so slowly, and strive so lazily, be-
cause we so little mind the prize. When a christian
hath been tasting the hidden manna, and drinking of
the streams of the paradise of God, what life dotJi
tliis put into him ! How fervent will his spirit be in
prayer, when he considers that he prays for no less
than heaven I

Observe but the 'man who is much in heaven, and
you shall see he is not like others ; there is somewhat
of that winch he hath seen above, appeareih in all his
duty and conversation : nay, take but the same man
immediately when he is returned from these views of
bliss, and you may easily perceive he e^tcels himself.
If he be a preacher, how heavenly are his sermons !
What clear descriptions, what higli expressions hath
he of that rest 1 If he be a private christian, what
heavenly conference, what heavenly prayers, what
an heavenly carriage hath he I May you not even hear
in a preacher's sermons, or in the private duties of
another, when they have been most above ? When
Moses had been with God in the mount, it made his
face shine, that the people could not behold bim. If
you would but set upon this employment, even so it
would be with you : men would see the face of your
conversation shine, and say, Surely he hath been nviih
God.

It is true, a heavenly nature goes before this hea-
venly employment ; but yet the work' will make it
more heavenly : there must be life, before we ca5i
feed: but our life is continued and increased by feed-
ing. Therefore, let m(i.inform thee, if thou lie com-
plainin;:^ of deadness and dulness, that thou canst not
love Christ, nor rejoice in his love ; that thou hast bo
life in prayer, nor any other duty, and yet never triedcit
this quickening course, or at least are careless and in-
constant in it ; thou art the cause of thy own complaints

286 The Saints^ Everlasting Rest.

thou dullest thine own heart ; thou chniest thy self that Iif»
which thou tuikest of. Is not thy life hid ivith Chriii '
in God? Whitlicr nuibt thou go but to Christ ibr it ?
And whither is that, but to l:eaven, -where he is?
Thou mil not come to Christ that iliou mayest have UJe*
If thou wouldst have light and heat, why art thou
then no more in the sunshine ? If thou wouldst have
more of that grace which fiows fror.i Christ, why art
thou no more with Christ for it ? Thy strength is in
heaven, and thy life in heaven, and there thou must
daily fetch it, if thou wilt have it. For want of this
recourse to heaven, thy soul is as a candle that is not
lighted, and thy duties as a sacrifice which hath no
fire. Fetch one coal daily from this altar, and see if
thy offering will not burn. Light thy candle at this
flame, and feed it daily with oil from hence, and see
if it will not gloriously iliine : keep close to this reviv-
ing fire, and see if thy afiections will not be warm.
Thou bev.aileiit thy want of love to God (and well ihon
mayest, for it is a lieinous crime, a killing sin) why,
lift up th.y eye of faith to heaven, behold his beauty,
conttniplate his excellency, and sec whether his amia-
bleneis will not fire thy alicction?, and his goodness
n<vi:ih thy heart. As the eye doth incense the sen-
suhl afiections, by gazing on alluring objects ; so do-ii
the eye "of fi'.ith in meditation inflame om' affections to-
wards our Lord, by gazing on that highest beauty.
Whoever thou art that art a stranger to this employ-
inent, be thy parts and profession ever so great, let
me tell thee, thou spendest thy life but in trifling or
idleness ; thou seemest to live, but thou art dead : I
may say of thee, as Seneca of idle Vacia^ >Sa\ latere^
invere nescis ; thou knowest how to lurk in idleness,
but how to live thou knowest not. And as the same
Seneca would say, when he passed by that sluggard's
dwelling, Ibi situs e»t Facia ; so it may be said of
thee, thei-e lies such a one, but not there lives such
a one, for thou spendest thy days liker to t!]e dead

The Saints* Evtrlasting JRest, 287

than the living. One of Draco's laws to the Atheni-
ans >vas, '1 hat he who was convicted of idleness,
should be put to death : tiiou dost execute this on thy
own ««ul, whilst by thy idleness thou destroyest its
life.

Thou xnayest many other ways exercise thy parts,
but this IS the way to exercise thy ^^aces : they all
come from God ab their fountain, and lead to God us
their end, and arc cxcircised on God as their ehief ob-
ject : so that God is their all in all. From heaven
they come, and to heaven the\ will direct and move
thee. And us exercise maintaineth appetite, strength
and liveliness to the body ; so doth it also to tlie soul.
Use I mbi^ and have imbs^ is the known proverb. And
use grace and spiritual life in these heavenly exer-
cises, and you shall find it quickly cause their increase.
The exerci e of your mere abilities of speech will not
much advantage your graces ; but the exercise of
these heavenly gifts, will inconceivably helj) the
growth of both : for as the moon li then most full
and glorious, when it doth most directly face tke sun :
so will your souls be both in gifts and graces, when
you most nearly view the face of God. This will
feed your tongue with matter, and make you abound
and overflow, both in preaching, praying, and con-
ferring. Besides the fire which you fetch from heaven
for your sacrilict-s, is no false or strange fire. As
your liveliness will be much more ; so il will be raso
more sincere.

The zeal which is kindled l)y your iTieditations on
heaven, is most like to prove an heavenly zeal ; and
the liveliness of tlie spirit which you fetch from the
face oj" God, must needs be the civinest life. Some
men's fervency is drawn only from their books- and
tome from stinging affliction, and some fi-om the
mouth of a movinjjf minister, and some from the en-
couragement of an attentive auditory : but he thatknows

288 The Saints^ Ever last hig Rest,

this way to heaven, and derives it daily from the purt
fountain, shall have his soul re vi\ed with the water of
life, and enjoy that quickening which is the saint's pe-
culiarly ; by this faith thou mayest ofter Abel's sacri-
fice, more excellent than that of common men, and
by it obtain witness, that thou art righteous, God tes- ^
tifying of thy gifts, Heb. xi. 4. When others are
ready, as Baal's priests, to beat themselves, and cut
their flesh, because their sacrifices will not burn : then
if thou canst get but the spirit of Elias, and in the
chariot of contemplation soar aloft, till thou ap-
proachest near to the quickening spirit, thy soul and
sacrifice will gloriously flame, though the flesh and
the world should cast upon them the water of all their
enmity. Say not now, how shall we get so high ?
Or, how can mortals ascend to heaven ? For faith hath
v/ings, arid meditation is its chariot ; its oflice is to
make absent things as present. Do you not see how
a little piece of glass, if it do but rightly face the
sun, will so contract its beams and heat, as to set on
fire that which is behind it, which without it would
have received but little warmth ? Why thy faith is as
the burning-glass to thy sacrifice, and medication sets
it to face the sun ; only take it not away too soon, but
hold it there a while, and thy soul will feel the happy
effect.

If we could get into the holy of holies, and bring
tiience the name and image of God, and get it clos-
ed up in our hearts, this would enable us to work
wonders ; every duty v/e performed would be a won-
der ; and tbcy that heard wc'i! • be ready to say, Ne-
ver man spake as this man spe».kcth. The spirit would
possess us, as those fiummg tongues, and make us
every one speak (not in the "varieiy of the confounded
languages, but) in the priniitive pure language of
Canaan, the wonderful works cf Ood. We should
then be in every auty, whether prayer, exhortation,

J

The Sahita^ Everlasting Rest. 2S9

•r brotherly reproof, as Paul was at Athens, liis spi-
rit was stirred within hinn ; and should be ready to eay,
as Jeremiah did, Jer. xx. 9. " His word was in my
heart as a burninj^ fiie shut up in my bones ; and I
was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay."

Christian reader, art thou not thinking when tliou
seest a lively believer, and hearest his melting pray-
ers, and ravishing discourse ; O how happy a man is
this I O Itiat my soul were in his state 1 Why, 1 here
direct and advise thee from God. Try this course,
and set thy soul to this work, and thou sh^lt be in as
good a case. Wash thee frequently in this Joidan,
and thy dead soul shall revive, and thou shalt know
there is a God in Israel ; and that thou maycst live a
vigorous and joyous life, if thou neglect not t'line own
mercies. If tliou truly value thi:^ strong and active
frame of splr.t, shew it by thy present attempting this
heavenly exercise. Ihcu hasi heard the Avay to ob-
tain this life in thy soul, and in thy duties ; if thou
wilt yet neg!ect it, blame thyself.

But alas, the muliitude of professors come to a mi-
nister, just as Naafnan came to Eli as ; they ask us,
how shall I overcome a hard heart, and get the
strength and life of grace ? But they expect that some
easy means should do it ; and think we should cure
them with the very answer to their question, and teach
them a way to be quickly well : but when they hear
of a daily trading in heaven, and constant meditation
on the joys above, thi% is a greater task i.han they ex-
pected, and they turn their backs, as Naaman to Eli-
as, or the young man on Christ. Will not preaching,
and praying, and conference serve (say they) without
this dwrlling still in heaven ? I entreat thee, ' reader,
beware of this folly ; fail to the work ; the comfort of
spiritual health will countervail all the trouble. It is
but the flesh that rcpints, which thou knowest v as

Bb

250 The Sainta' Everlaathig Rest.

never a friend to thy soul. If God had set thee en
some grievous work, shouidst thou not hnve done it
for the hfe of thy soul ? How much more \vhen he
doth bui invite thee to himself?

5. Consider, the frequent believinp: views of glory-
are the most precious cordial in all aitiictions. 1. To
sustain our spirits, and make our sufieringg far more
easy. 2, To stay us from repmmg. And 3. To
ritrengthen our resolution, that we forsake not Christ
for fear of trouble. A man "will more quietly endure
the lancing of his sores, when he thii^ks on the ease
that will follow. What then will not a believer en-
dure, when he thinks of the rest to which it tendeth ?
What if the way be never so rough, can it be tedious
if it lead to heaven ? O sweet sickness, sweet re-
pioachfts, imprisonmePits, or dtath, which is accom-
j)anicd with these tastes of our future rest 1 Believe it,
thou wilt suffer heavily, thou wilt die most sadly, if
ihou hast not at hand the foretastes of this rest.
Therefore as thou wilt then be ready with David to
pray. Be not far from me^ for trcruble is near : so let it
be thy chief care not to be far from God and heaven,
when trouble is near, and thou wilt find him a very
present help in trouble-.

All sufferings are nothing to us, so fur as we have
the foresight of this salvation. No bolts, nor bars,
nor distance of place can shut out these supporting
joys, because they cannot confine our faith and
thoughts, although they may confine our flesh, Christ
und faith are spiritual, and therefore prisons and ba-
nishments cannot hinder their intercourse. Even when
persecution and fear hath shut the door, Christ can
come in, and stand in the midst, and say, Peace be
^nto you. It is not the place that gives the rest, but
the presence and beholding of Christ m it. If the
S^n «f God will walk with us in it, we may walk

The Saints* Everlasting Rest, ^.

pafeiy in the midst of those flames, which shall cievour
nose that cast us in : why then, keep thy soul above
-vith Christ ; be as little as may be out of his conipa-
r.y, and then all conditions will be alike to thee. What
made Moses " choose ailliction with the people of
God, rather than enjoy the pleasures *f sin for a season ?
lie had respect to the recompense of reward.*' Yea,
our Lord himself did fetch his encouragements to suf-
ferings from the foresight of his glory : " for to ihin
end he both died and rose, and revived, that he mi^ht
be Lord both of the dead and living.'* Rom. i:iv. 9.
" Even Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, for
the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, de-
spising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of
the throne of God.**

6. Consider, It is he that hath his com^ersaticn in
heaven, who is the profitable christian to all about
him: with him you may take sweet counsel, and go
up to the celestial house of God. When a raao is in
a strange country, far from heme, how glad is he cf
the company of one of his own nation ! How delight-
ful is It to them to talk of their country, of their ac-
quaintance, and the affairs of their home ! Why, witli
a heavenly christian thou mayest have such discourse ;
for he hath been there in tlie spirit, and can tell thee
of the glory and rest above. To discourse witk able
men, of clear understandings, about the difficiiUies of
religion, yea, about languages and sciences, is both
pleasant and profitable ; but nothing to this heavenly
discourse of a believer. O liow refreshing are his
expressions ! How his words pierce the heart ! How
tliey transform the hearers ! " How doth his doctrine
drop as the rain, and his speech distil as the dew, as
the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the show-
ers upon the grass ; while his tongue is expressing
the name of the Lord, and ascribing greatness to his
GodT' This is the man who is as Job, <' when the

292 The Sainfs Everlasting Rest,

eandle cf God did shine upon his head, and when by
his light he walked through darkness: when tht se-
cret of God was ui)on his tabernacle, and when the
Almighty was yet with him : then the ear thai heard
him, <lid bless him ; and the eye that saw him, gave
witness to him," -Job xxix. 3, 4, 5. 11. Happy the
people that have an heavenly minister ? happy the
children and servants that have an heavenly father or
master ; happy the man that hath heaveHly associ-
ates ; if they have but hearts to know their happiness.
This is the companion, who will watch over thy ways,
who will strengthen thee when thou art weak ; who
will cheer thee when thou art drooping, anil comfort
thee with the same comforts, wherewith he hath been
so ofien comi^orted himself. This is he that will be
blowing the spark of thy spiritual life, and always
drawing thy soul to God, and will be saying to thee,
as the Samaritan woman, Come arid see one thai hath
told me all that ever I did^ one that hath ravished ray
heart with his beauty, one that hath loved our souls
to the death : is not this the Christ ? Is not the know-
iedge of God and him eternal life \ Is it not the gldry
ef the saints to see his glory ? If thou travel with this
■sn?.n on the way, he will be directing and quickening
*.hee in thy journey to heaven : if thcu be buying or
.celling, or trading with him in the v/orld, he will be
counsclhng thee to lav out for theinestimable trea-
sure: If thou wrong him, he can pardon thee, re-
membering that Christ hath not only pardoned great
oiVences to him, but will also give him this invaluable
portion. This is the chvistian of the right ftamp ;
this is the servant that is like his Lord ; these be the
innocent that save the land, and all about them are
the better where they dwell. I fear the men 1 have
describjfd are very rare, but were it not for our shame-
ful negligence, such men might we all be ?

The SaiiitiP Everlasing I? est.

CHAP. III.

Contaim?ig some Hinderancea of Hearosnly
mindecbiess.

AS thou values! the comforts of a heavenly con-
versation, I here charge thee from
most carefully of these impediments.

1. The first is, the livinp: in a known sin. Observe
this. What havoc "will this make in thy soul ! O the
joys that this hath destroyed ! The blessed commu-
nion with God, that this luitli interrupted ! The ruins
it hath made amongst men's graces ! The duties that
it hath hindered ! And above all others, it is an ene-
my to this great duty.

I desire tliee in the fear of God, stay here a litllc,
and search thy heart. Art thou one that hath used
violence with thy conscience ? Art thou a wilful ne-
glecter of known duties, either public or priw.te ?
Art thou a slave to thine appetite, in eating or drink-
ing, or to any other commanding sense ? Art thou a
seeker of thine own esteem, and a man that must
needs iiave men's good opinion ? Art thou a peevish
or passionate person., ready to take fire at every word,
or every supposed flight ? Art thou a deceiver of
others m thy deiUing ; or one that hath set thyself to
rise in the world r Not to speak of greater sins, which
all take notice of. If this be thy case, I dare say,
hea\e)i and thy soul are very great strangers; I dare
say, tlj^m art seldom with God, and there is little
hope it should be better, as long fis thou continuest
in these traniigressions : these beams in thine eyes
will not suiTer tiiee to look to heaven ; these will be a
cloi;d between thee and God. How shouldst tho"
Bb2

^riie Saintss* Everlasting Rest.

l^ke conifort from heaven, who taketh so much plea-
sure in the lusts of the flesh " Every wilful sin will be
to thy comforts as water to fire ; when thou thinkcst
to quicken them, this will quench them ; when thy
heart begins to draw near to God, this will presently
fill thee with doubting. Besides it doth utterly indis-
pose thee, and disable thee to this work ; when thou
shouldst wind up thy heart to heaven, it is biassed an-
other way ; it is entangled, and can no more ascend
in divine meditation, than the bird can Hy who^e wings
are dipt, or that is taken in the snare. Sin aoth cut
the very sinews of the soul ; therefore I say of this
heavenly life, as Mr. Bolton saith of prayer, " Either
it will make thee leave sinning, or sia will make thee
leave it," and that quickly too ; for these cannot con-
tinue together. If heaven and hell can meet toge-
ther, then mayest thou live in thy sin, and in the
tastes of glory. If therefore thou find thyself t^uilty
.'.^ever doubt but this is the cause that estrangeth thee
from heaven ; and take heed lest it keep out thee, as
}t keeps out thy heart. Yea, if thou be a man that
hitherto, hast escaped, and knowest no rei^ning sin in
tliy soul, yet let this warnin:^ move thee to preven-
tion, and stir up a dread of this danger in thy spirit,
es^^ecially resolve to keep from the occasions of sin,
and as much as possible, out of the way of tempta-
tions.

2. A second hinderance carefully to be avoided, is,
an earthly mind : for you may easily conceive, that
this cannot stand with an heavenly mind. God and
mammon, earth and heaven, cannot both have the
delight of thy heart. This makes thee like A»sclm's
bird, with a stone tied to the foot, which as oft as
she t«ok flight, did pluck her to the earth again. If
thou be a man that hast fancied to thyself some hap-
piness to be found on earth, and beginncst to taste a
bweetaess in gain, and to aspire after an higher estate.

The Saints' Everlasting Rest. 29a

and art driving on thy design ; btlieve it, thou art
marching with thy back upon Christ, and urt posting
apuce from this heaverdy life. Hath not the world
that from thee, which God hath from the believer ?
When he is blessing himself in God. and rejoicing
in hope of the plory to come ; then thou art blessing
thyself in thy prosperity.

]t may be thou boldest en thy course of diity, and
prayfcst as oft as thou didst befori; ; it may be thou
kecpest in with good ministers, and with good men,
and seemest as forward in religion as ever : but what
is ail this to the purpose i Mock not thy feoul, man ;
for God will not be moc'cd. Thine earthly mind'
may c«nsist with thy common duties ; but it cawnot
consist with this heavenly duty. I need not tell thee
this, if thou wouldst not be a traitor to thy own
soul : thou knowest thyself how seldom and cold,
how cursory and strange thy thoughts have been of
the joys hereafter, ever since thou didst trade so ea-
gerly for the world.,

Mcthinks I even perceive thy conscience stir now,
r.nd tell thee plainly, tliat this is thy case : hear it,
man [ O hear it now : lest thou hear it in another
manner when tliou wouldst be full loth. O the cnis-
ed madness of many that seem to be religious ; v/ho
thrust themsciNcs into the multitude of employments,
and thin'; they can never have business enou^ h, till
they are so loaded v/ith labours, and clogged with
cares, that their souls are as unfit to con\eri:e with
God, as a man to wal"; with a mountain on his back.
And wiien all is done, and they have lost that heaven
they might have had upon earth, they take up a few
rotten arguments to prove it lawful, and then they
think that they have salved all. They miss not the
pleasures of this heavenly life, if they can but quiet

^96 The Saints^ Everlasting Rest,

their consciences, wliile they fasten upon lower and
baser pleasures.

For thee, O christian ! who hast tasted of these
pleasures, I advise thee, as thou valuest their enjoy-
ment, as ever thou wouklst taste of them any niore,
take heed of tliis gulph of an earthly mind ; For if
once thou comest to this, that thou wilt he rich^ thou
faUeat iiiio temfitation^ and a s/iare, and into divers
fooi&h and hurtful lusts. Keep these things as thy
upper garments still loose about thecj^hat thou may-
est lay them by whenever there is cause : but let God
and glory be next thy heart, yea, as the very blood
and spirit by which thou lives't : still remember that
of the Spirit, " The friendship of the world is enmity
with God : whosoever therefore will be a friend of
the worlds is the enemy of God. And, love not the
world, nor the thinisjn the world : if any man love
the world, the love of the Father is not in him," This
is plain dealing ; and happy he that faithfully receives
it.

3. A third hinderance of which I must advise thee
to beware, is the company of ungodly and sensual
men. Not that I would dissuade thee from necessary
converse, or from doing them any office of love : noii
would I have thee conclude them to be dogs and
swiiie, that so thou mayest evade the duty of reproof;
nor yet to judge them such at all, before thou art
certain they arc such indeed.

But it is the unnecessary society of ungodly men,
and familiarity with improfitable companions, though
they be not so apparently ungodly, that 1 dissuade you
from. It is not only the open profane, the swearer, j[
the drunkard, that will prove hurtful to us ; but dead- I
hearted formalists, or persons merely civil and mo- ^'
ral, or whose conference is empty, unsavoury, and
barren; may much divert our thoughts from heaven.

The SatJits* Everlastin!! R&st. 257

As mere idleness, and forgetting God. will keep a
soul as certainly from heaven, as a profane, licen-
tious, fleshly life : so also will useless compiiny as
surely keep our hearts from heaven, as the con.pany
of men more dissolute and profane. Alas I our dul-
ness and backwardness is such, that we have need of
the most constant and powerful helps : a clod, or a
stone that lies on the earth, is as prone to arise and
fly in the air, as our hearts are to move towards hea-
ven You need not hold them from fiyinq- up to the
skies ; it is sufficient that you do wot help them. If
our spirits have not j^^reat assistance, they may easily
be kept from fiyin^^ aloft, though they never should
meet with the lea:it impediment. O think of this in
the choice of your company : when yeur spirits need
no help to lift them up, but as the flames you are al-
ways mounting upv/ards, and carrying with you all
that is in your way, then you may indeed be less care-
ful of your company ; but till then be careful therein.
As it is reported of a lord that was near his death, and
the doctor that prayed with him read over the litany,
For all women labouynng ivith child, fvr all auk persons y
and vounif clnldrt-n^ iJfc. From lig/itnitii^ and tcmpeat ;
from /dag-iiPs pestilctice^ and famine ; frcrn battle and
miirdfT. and from suddm death, Alas I saith he,
what is this to me, who must presently die ? Somay-
est thou say of such men's conference ; alas • what
is this to me, who must shortly be in rest ? What
will it advantap:e thee to a life with God, to hear
where the fair W such a day. or how the market goes,
or what weather it is, or is likely to be, or when the
moon changed, or what news is stirring ? What will
it conduce to the raising thy heart God-ward, to hear
that this is an able minister, or that an able christian,
or that this was an excellent sermon, or that is an
excellent book ; to hear a discourse of baptisms, ce-
remonies, the order of God's decrees, or other such
controversies of iji-eat difficulty, and less importance ?

^98 Ihe Saints^ Everkisting ResU

Yet this, for the most part, is the sweet discourBc
that you are likely to have of a formal dead-hearted
professor. If thou had newly been Maiming thy heart-
with the joys above, would not this discourse quickly
freeze it again ? I appeal to the judgment of any man
that hath tried it, and maketh observations on the
frame of his spirit.

4. A fourth hinderance to heavenly conversation,
is, disputes about lesser truths^ and especially when
a man's religion lies only in his opinions ; a sure
sign of an unsanctiRed soul. If sad examples be re-
garded, I need say the less upon this. It is legibly
written in the faces of thousands ; it is visible in the
complexion of our diseased nation. They are men
least acquainted with a heavenly life, who arc the vio-
lent disputers about the circumstantials of religion :
he whose religion is all in his opinions, will be most
frequently and zealously speaking his opinions : and
he whose religion lies in the knowledge and love of
God in Christ, of that time when he shall enjoy Gc .
and Christ. As the body doth languish in consumiiir
fevers, when the native heat abates within, and ai
imnatural heat inflaming the external parts succeeds ;
so when the zeal of a christian doth leave the inter-
nals of religion, and fly to externals, or inferior
things, the soul must needs consume and languish.
Yea, though you were sure your opinions were true,
yet when the chief of your zeal is turned thither, and
the chief of your conference there laid out, the life
of grace decays within.

Therefore let me advise you that aspire after this
joyous life, spend not your thoughts, your time, your
:seal, «r your speeoiies upon quarrels that less concern
your souls ; but when others are feedings on husk
or shells, or on this heated food which "vvillburn theii
lips, far sooner than warm and strengthen their heartF,^

{

The Saints* Everlasting Rest, 2%^

then do you feed on the joys above. I could vish
you were all understandinij men, able to defend every
truth of God ; but stiil I would iiavc the chii-f to be
chiefly studied, and none to shoulder out your thoughts
of eternity: the least controverted points are usually
most weighty, and of most necessary use to our souls.

5. As you value the comforts of a heavenly life*,
take heed of a proud and lofty spirit. There is such
an antipathy between this sin and God, that thou wilt
never get thy heart near him, as long as this prevail-
eth in it. If it cast the angels fiom heaven that were
in it, it must needs keep tiiy heart estranged from it.
If it cast ou'- fi^'st parents out of paradise, and sepa-
rated between the Lord and us, it must needs keep
our hearts from paradise, and increase the cursed se-
paration from our God. The delight of God is rm
humble soul, even him that is contrite, and trembleth
at his word : and the dcUght of an humble soul is in
Gjd: and sure v/here there is mutual delight, there
will be freest admittance, and heartiest welcome, and
most frequent converse. Vv ell then, art thou a man
of worth in thine own eyes ? And very tender of thine
esteem with others ? Art thou one that much vainest
applause and feelest deliglit when thou hearest of thy
great esteem with men ; and art dejected when thou
hearest that men slight thee ? Dost thou lore those
most who best honour thee ; and doth thy heart beax'
a grudge at those that thou thinkest undervalue thee ;
Wilt thou not be brou";ht to shame thyself, by hum-
ble confession when thou hast sinned against God, or
injured thy brother ? Art thou one that honorest the
rich ? and thinVest thyself some body if they value
and own thee ? but lookest sttaugely at the poor, and
art almost ashamed to be their companion ? Artt^^ou
Tinacqucvinted with the deceitfulness »nd wickedncr.s
of thy heart ? Or knowest thyself to be vile onl} by
reading, not by feeling thy vilcness ? Art thou readier

300 The Sajnin' Evcrlaiting Rest.

to defend thyself and maintain thine innocency, tha»
to accuse tliyself, or confess thy fault ? Canst thou
hardly bear a clo^e reproof, or plain dealing without
difficulty and distaste ? Art thou readier in thy dis-
course to teach than to learn : and to dictate to others,
than to hearken to their instructions? Art thou bold
and confident of thy own opinions, and little suspi-
cious of the weakness of thy understanding- ; but a
slighter of the juds^ment of all that are against thee?
Is thy spirit more disposed to command than to obey?
Art thou ready to censure the doctrine of thy teachers,
the actions of thy rulers, and the persons of thy bre-
thren ? And to think, if thou wert a judge, thou
wouldst be more just ; or if thou wert a minister, thou
wouidst be more fruitful and more faithful ? If these
symptom?; be in thy heart, beyond doubt thou an a
proud person. Thou art abominably proud ; th^rc is
too much of hell abiding in thee, for thee to have any
acf{ualntancc at heaven : thy soul is too like the devil,
to have any familiarity with God. >

I entreat you be very jealous of your souls in this
point : there is nothing will more estrange you from
God : I spca': the more of it, because it is the most
comraon and danc:;erous sin, and most promoting^ the
great sin of infidelity : you would little think what
humble carriage, what exclaiming against pride, what
self-accusing may stand with this devilish sin of pride. ;
O christian, if thou wouldst live continually in the
presence of thy Lord, and lie in the dust, he would
thence take thee up ; descend first with him into the
grave, and thence thou maycst ascend with him to
glory. Learn of him to be meek and lowly, and then
thou maycst taste of this rest to thy soul. Thy soul
else \vili be as the troublrd secy ivhich cannot 'est : and
instead of these sweet delights in God, thy pride will
fill thee with perpetual disquietude.

The Saints' £ver lasting I^est. SOI

6. Another impediment to this heavenly life is, la-
ziness, and slothfulncss of spirit; and I verily think
for knowing men, there is nothing- hinders more than
this. If it were only the exercise of the body, the
moving of the lips, the bendin;^ of the knee ; then
men would as commonly step to heaven, as they go
a few miles to visit a friend ; yea, if it were to spend
our days in numbering beads, and repeating certain
words and prayers, or in the outward parts of duties
commaHded by God, yet it were comparatively easy :
further, if it were only in the exercise of parts and
gifts, it were easier to be heavenly-minded. But it
is a work more difficult than ail this : to separate our
thoughts and affections from the world ; to draw
forth all our graces in their order, and exercise each
on its proper object, to hold them to this, till' the
work doth thrive and prosper in their hands : this is
the difficult task. Heaven is above thee, the way is
upward ; dost thou think, who art a feeble sinner, to
travel daily this steep ascent, without a great deal of
labour and resolution ? Canst thou get that earthly
heart to heaven, and bring that backward mind to
God, while th«u liest still, and takest thy ease ? If
lying down at the foot of the hill, and looking towards
the top, and wishing we were there, would serve the
turn, then we should have daily travellers for heaven.
But the kv:ffdom of heaven suffereth violence^ and the
■violent take it by force. There must be violence used,
to get the first-fruits, as well as to g-fct the full posscs-
lion. Dost thou not feci it so, though I should not
tell thee \ Will thy heart get upwards except thou
drive it ? Dost thou find it easy to dwell in the delights
above ? Is it true, the work is sweet, and no condition
on earti so desirable ; but therefore it is that our
hearts are so backward ; especially in the beginning,
till we are acquainted with it. O how many who can
easily bring their Hearts to ordinary duties, as reading,
hearing,praying,conferring,could ncveryetin all their
cc

302 The Saints* Everlasting Rest.

lives, bring them, and keep Ihem to a heavenly con-
templation one half hour together ! Consider here,
reader, as before the Lord, whether this be not thine
own case. Thou hast known that heaven is all thy
hopes ; thou knowcst thou must shortly lie turned
hence, and that nothing below can yield thee rest:
thou knowcst also that a strange heart, a seldom ard
careless thinking of heaven, can fetch but little com-
fort thence : and dost thou yet for all this let elip thy
opportunities, when thou shouldst walk above, and
)ive with God ? Dost thou commend the sweetness of
an heavenly life, and yet didst never once try it thy-
self ? But as the sluggard that stretched himself on
his bed, and cried, O that this were working ? So
dost thou live at thy ease, and say, O that I could get
my heart to heaven ! How many read books, and hear
sermons, in expectation to hear of some easy course,
or to meet with a shorter cut to comforts, than ever
they are like to find ? And if they can hear of none
from the preachers of truth, they will snatch it with
rejoicing from the teachers of falsehood ; and pre-
sently applaud the excellency of the doctrine, because
it hath fitted their lazf temper ; and think there is no
other doctrine will comfort the soul, because it will
not comfort it with hearing and looking on. And
while they pretend enmity only to the law, they op-
pose the easier conditions of the gospel, and cast off
the burden which all must bear that find rest to their
louls ; the Lord of light, and spirit of comfort, s|iew
these men in time, a surer way for lasting con^fort.
It was an established law among the Argi, That if a
man were perceived to be idle and lazy, he must give
an account before the magistrate, how he came by his
Tictuals and maintenance : and sure when I see these
inen lazy in the use of God's appointed means for
comfort, I cannot but question how they come by their
comfort ; I would they would examine it thoroughly
^heiQselves : for God will require Jin account of it from

The Saints' Everlastivg Kest. . 303

llicm. Idleness, alid not improving the truth in painful
duty, is the common cause of men's seekinr^ comfort
from error: even as the ])eopleof Israel, when theyhad
no comfortable answer from God, because of their own
siri and neg:]ect, would run to seek it from the idols of
the heathens : so when men are false-hearted, and the
Spirit of truth denies them comfort, because they de-
ny him obedience, they will seek it from a lying spirit.

My advice to such a lazy sinner, is this : as thou art
convicted that this work is necessary to thy comfort,
so resolvedly set upon it : if thy heart draw back, and
be undisposed, force it on with the command of rea-
son ; and if thy reason begin to dispute the work, force
it with prodacinr^ the command of God ; find quicken
it with the consideration of thy necessity, and the other
motives before propounded : and let the inforcenienta
that brought thee to the work, be still in thy mind to
quicken thee in it. Do not let such an incomparable
treasure lie before thee, whilst thou liest still with thy
hand in thy bosom ; let not thy life be a continual vex-
ation, which mig-ht be a continual feast, and all be*
cause thou wilt not be at the pains. When thou, hast
once tasted the sweetness of it, and a little used thy
heart to the work, thou wilt find the pains thou takc&t
abundantly recompensed. Only sit not still willi a
disconsolate spirit, while comforts grow before thine
eyes. Neither is it a few formal, lazy, runnina;
thoughts, that will fetch thee this consolation from
above ; no more than a few lazy formal words will
prevail with God instead of fervent prayer. I kpow
Christ is the fountain, and I know this, as every other
gift, is of God : but yet if thou ask my advice^, how to
obtain these v/aters of consolation ; 1 must tell thee^
thevc is something also for thee to do : the gospel hath
its conditions, and works, though not such impossible
ones, as the law : Christ hath his yoke and his bur-
den, thoug^h easy, and thou^must take it up, or thow

50 i Tht Saints^ Everlasting Resu

vilt never find rest to thy soul. I kr^ow so far as you
are spinlual, you need not all this striving and vio-
lence, but that is bat in part, and in part you are car-
nal ; and as long as it is so, there is no talk of case. It
was the Parthians* custom, that none must give their
childr«Y any meat in the morning, before tlicy saw
the sv/cal on their faces ; and you shall find this to be
God's most usual course, not to give his children the
taste cf his delights, till they begin to K^vc•al in seek-
ing Lfter them. Therefore lay them both together, and
judge Avhelhcr an heavenly life, or thy case be better ;
and make the choice accordingly. Ytt tl.is let mc
say, thou needest not expend tiiy thoughts more than
}iow tliou dost ; it is but only to employ them better :
T prcfs thee r.ol to busy tjiv n ind nu;c!-. iiiorc than

£ai>i ohjc4:l'5. Employ bi*f^o ^mtny fialo^^^ ilioin^hl^

every day, upon the cxctilcnt t^lciy of the life to
come, as thou now employest on the affairs in the
world : nay, as thou daily losest oh vanities, and thy
laeart irill be at heaven in a short space.

7. It is also a dangerous hinderance to content our-
selves with the mere preparatives to this heavenly life,
while we are strangers to the life itself: when we takf
up with the mere studies of heavenly things, and the
Botions and thoughts of them in our brain, or the
talking of them with one another, as if this were all
that makes us heavenly people. There is none in
- more danger of this snare, than those that are much in
publicduty, especially preachers of the gospel. O how
easily may they be deceived here, while they do no-
thing more than read of heaven, and study of heaven,
and preach of heaven, and pray, and talk of hea-
ven I What, is not this the heavenly life ? O that God
would reveal to our hearts the danger of this snare I
Alas, all this is but mere preparation : this is not
tke life we speak of, thougK it is a helj) thereto. I

The SainU^ Everlas$.h\^ ^esi, 30S

entreat every one of my brethren in the ministry, that
they search and watch against this temptation : this
is but t^atherinq; the materials, and not the erecting
the building : this is but gathering manna for others,
not eating and digesting ourselves : as he that sits at
home may study geography, and draw most exact
descriptions of countries, and yet nercr ^see them,
nor travel towards them : so may you describe to
others the joys of heaven, and yet never come near it
in your own hearts : if you should study of nothing
but heaven while you lived, and preach of nothing
but heaven to your people, yet might your own
hearts be strangers to it : we are under a more subtle
temptation than other men, to draw us from this
heavenly life : if our employments lay at a greater
distance from heaven, we should not be so apt to be
thus deluded : but when we find ourselves employ-
ed upon nothing else, we are tasier drawn to take up
here. Studying- and preaching of heaven is liker to
an heavenly life, than thinking and talking of the
woild is, and the likeness it is that may deceive us ;
this is to die the most miserable death, even to fa-
mish ourselves, because we have bread on our tables,
and to die for thirst while we draw water for others :
thinking it enou;,^ii that we have daily to do with it,
though v/e never drink in.

CPIAP. IV.

Some general Hcl/is to Ilcavenly'-mindedness ,

HAVING thus shewed thee what hindcrancci

will resist thee in the work, I shall now lay down

some positive helps. But first, I expect that thou r^

solve against the fore -mentioned ixnptdimcnts; that

cc 3

i306 The Scufiti^ Everlasting' Hest,

thou read them seiiously, aiicl avoid them fuithfuUy,
or else thy labour will be all in vain; thou dost but
go about to reconcile lig^bt and darkness, Christ and
13ilial, heaven and hcli in thy sj)int ; I must tell thee
also, that I expect thy promise, faithfully to set upon
the helps which I prescribe thee ; and that the read-
ing- of them \rill not bring heaven into thy heart, but
in their constant pr:;cticc the Spirit will do it.

As thou value^t then these foretastee of heaven,
make conscience of performing these following duties.

1. Know heaven to be the only treasure, ami la-
bour to know what a treasure it is : be convinced that
thou hast no other happiness, and be convinced what
happinci-s is there: if thou dost not soundly believe
it to be the chief Qood, thou wilt never set thy heart
upon it J and this conviction must sink into thy affeo
t-ions : for if it be only a notion, it will hare little ope-
ration.

2. Labour as to know heaven to be the only hap-
piness, so ahso to be thy liappiness. Though the
knowledge of excellency and suitableness may stiVup
that love wjjich worketh by desire, 5 et there must be
the knowledge of our interest or propriety to the set-
tmg at work cur love of complacency. We may con-
fess heaven to be the best condition, though we de-
spair of enjo)ingit ; and we may desire and seek it,
if we see the obtainment to be but probable ; but we
can never delightfully rejoice in it, till we are per-
suaded of cur title to it. What comfort is it to a
man that is naked to see the rich attire of others ?
Or, to a man that hath not a bit to put in his mouth,
to Bce a ftiast which he must not taste of? What de-
light hath a man that hath not a house to put his head
in, to see the sumptuous buildings of others ? Would

* not all this rather incr«ase liis anguish, and make him

The Saint- s Everlasting Rest. 607

more sensible of his misery ? So, for a man to know
the excellencies of heaven, and not to know whether
he shall cVer enjoy them, m?y vrell rai.-e desire to
Bcek it, but it will raise but little joy and content.

n, Another help to the fore-taste ofrcst is this : la-
bour to apprehend how near it is : think seriously cf
its speedy approach. That -which we tlnnk ii near
at hand, we arc more sensible of than that v/iiich we
behold at a dis.tance. Vv'hcn v.e hear of war or famine
in another country, it troubieth its net so much ; or
if we hear it prophesied cf a long time hence, so if
we hear of plenty a great way off crof a^olden age
that shall fall out, who knows when, this nerer re-
joicethus. But if judgments or mercies draw near,
then they affect us. This makes men think on hea-
ven 60 insensibly, because they conceit it at a great
distance : they look on it as twenty or thirty, or forty
years off; and this it is that dulls their sense. As
-wicked men are fearless and senseless of judgment,
because the sentence is not speedily executed : so are
the good deceived of tlieir comforts, by supposing
them further off than they are. ]iovv much better
>vere it (o receive the sentence cf death in ourselves,
and to look on eternity as near at hand ? Surely, read-
er, thou standest at the door, and hundreds of dis-
eases are ready ^Taiting to open the door aad let thee
in. Are not the thirty or forty years of thy life that
are past, quickly |^one ? Are they not a very little
time when thou lookest back on them ? And will not
all the rest be shortly %otoo ? Do not days and nights
€omc very thick ? Dost thou not feel that building of
flesh to shake, «nd perceive thy house of clay to tot-
ter ? Look on thy glass, see how it runs: look on thy
•wratch, how fast it goeth : what a short moment is be-
tween us and our rest ; Mhat a step is it from hence
to everlastingness I AVhile I am thinking and writing
of it, it bastcth near, and I am even entering into it

oO^ The Saints* Everlasting I^cs*.

before I am aware. Wli'ile thou art reaclinj^ this, if
postcth on, and thy Tife will be gone as a tuie that is
told. M.iyest thou not easily foresee thy dying time,
and look upon thyself as ready to depart ? It is but a
few d.\ys till thy friends shall lay thee in the grave,
and others do tht like for them. If you verily believ-
ed you should die to-morrow, how seriously would
you think of heaven to-nii^ht. The true apprehen-
sions of the nearness^ to eternity, doth make men's
thoughts of it quick and piercinij ; put life into their
fears and sorrows, if tlicy be \nifit ; and into their de-
sires and joys, if they have assurance of its glory.

4-. Another help to this is, to be much in serroui'
discoursing of it, especially with those that can speak
from their hearts. It is pity (saith Mr. Bolton) that
christians should ever meet together,\vithout some
talk of their meetin^^ in heaven: it is pity so much
precious time is spent, in vain discourses, and useless
disputes, and not a sober word of heaven. Methinks
we should meet together on purpose to warm our spi-
rit*; uittj discoursing of our rest. To hear a minister^
or private christian set forth that gloricus state, with
po ver and life ftom the promises of the gospel, me-
thinks should make us say, as the two disciples. Did
no!: our hcari-t burn vvilMn tiSf ivkile he was n/ifniiig to
wi the ficri/uure ? Wlnlc he was opening to us the
windows CH hcjaven ? Get then together, fellow-chris-
ti?.fis, and f Ik of the affi irs of your country and king-
dom, and comfort one another with such words. This
may muke our hearts revive v.ithin us, as it did Ja-
cob's, to hear the nipssage that called him to Goshen,
and to see the chariots liiat should bring him to Jo-
seph. O that we were furnished with skill and reso-
lution lo turn rhe stream of men's common discourse
to these mor-j ?\_blime and precious things 1 And when
ineTi begin to caik of things unprofitable, that we could
tell how to put in a v/ord f«i' heaven.

The Saints'' Everlasting Rest, 509

5. Anotlier help is this, mc'.ke it thy hu:>iners in
every duty, to wind up tliy yf/tctions nearer heaven.
A man's aiiainnients from God are ariS\verabIc lo his
own desires and ends: that which he sir.cerely seeks
he finds ; God's end in liie ifistiiuLion of his ordi-
nances was, that they be as so nrany ssttppng- stones
lo our rest, and as the stairs by wiiich (in subordina-
tion to Christ) we may daily ascend unio it in cur af-
fections : let tins be thy end in using tfjcm, as it was
God's end in ordaining them ; and doubtless they will
not be unsuccessful. Men that are separated by sea
i;iid land, can ye' by lelters carry on great trades, even
lo ihe value of their vhole estate : and mny not a
ehrisliitn in the wise iir.p.rovenient cf duiits, drive on
\\\\.-> )i.-V'i'>y l!"u('e iVjr v-.:i r Ccn;c not thircf'T^j with
Aity ]c^\fcr cnii'iio ^Ut^^e : ^«^^flU^C^^ i0:ii'iiafify c«iblo-
inn!\rijiis Lii;ci L'pplauiK-. \\ hen thou hneelcst down in
secret or public prayer, kt it be in hope to get thy
heart nearer God before thou risest off thy knees :
when thou openest thy bible or other bookS; let it be
with this hope, to meet with some passage of divine
truth, and some sucli blessing of the Sj)irit with it, as
may raise thine affections nearer heaven : when tliou
I'rl setting th.y foot out of thy door to go to the public
worship, say, 1 hope to meet with somewhat from
God that may raise my affections before I return ; I
Iiope the Spirit will give mc the meeting, and sweeten
my lieart wiih those celestial delights ; I liope that
Christ will appear to me in the way, and shine about
me with hght from h.eaven, and let m.e hear his in-
vStructing and reviving voice, and cause the scales to
fall from mine eyes, that I may see more of that glory
than I ever yet saw ; I hope before I return to my
liouse, my Lord will take ray heart in hand, and
bring it within the view of rest, and set it before his
Father's presence, that I may return, as the shepherds
from the heavenly vision, glorifying and praising
God. Remember also to pray for thy teacher, that

^10 The Saints'' Everlasting^ Rest,

God would put some divine inessag;e into his moutll
vhich may leave an heavenly relish on thy spirit.

If these were our ends, and this our course wheit
we set to duty, \^e should not be so strange as 'we are
to heaven.

6. Another help i^ this ; make an advantas^e of
every object thou seest, rnd of every paKsag:e of Di-
vine Providence, and of every thinn- lliut befals thee
in thy lab >ur anA.1 callinc;, to mind thy soul of its ap-
proaching rest. As all providences and creatures are
mL-ans to our rc^t, so do they point us to that as their
eiul. T.\'zvY creature hath the name of God and of
our nuLii rest written upon it, ivhich a considerate be-
liever may as truly discern, as he can read upon a
hand in a cro«s-\vay the name of the town or city it
points to. This spiritaal use of creatures and provi-
rlences is God*s great end in bestowing" them on man ;
amd he that overlooks this «nd, must needs rob God
of his chief praise, and deny him the greatest part of
his thanks. This relation that our present mercies
have to our great eternal mercies, is the very quintes-
sence and spirit of all these mercies ; therefore do
they lose the very spirit of all their mercies, and take
nothinj^ but the husks, who overlook this relation, and
draw not forth the sweetness of it in their contempla-
tions. God*5 sweetest dealings v/ith us would not be
half so sweet as they arc, if they did not intimate some
fiH'ther sweetness. As ourselves have a fieshly and
spiritual substance, so have our mercies a Heshly and
spiritual use, and are fitted to the nourishing of boti"
our parts. He that receives the carnal part, and m,'
more, may have his body comforted by them, but not
his soul. O therefore that christians were skilled in
this art ! You can open your bibles, and read there of
God and of j^dory : O learn to open the creatures, and
the several p*ssages of Providence, to read of God ar>:!

The S chit a'' Everhiiting Re^t. 511

glory there. Certainly by such a skilful improvement
we might have a fuller taste of Chribt anl heaven, in
every bit we cat, and in every drau;_:ht -vve diink, than
most men have in the use of the sacrament.

If thou prosper in the vv^orld, let it makt thee mor-
sensible uf thy perj^tlual prosperity ; If thou be weary
of thy labours, let it make thy thoughts of rest mo; c
sweet : if thiUij.s go cross with thee, let it make thee
more earnestly desire that day, when bW thy suffering; s
and sorrow shall cease. Is thy body refreshed with
food or sleep r remember the inconceivable refresh-
ings with Christ. Dost thou hear any news that
makes thee glad ? remember what giad tidings it will
be to hear the sound of the trump of God, and the ab-
solving sentence of Christ oar judge. Art thou de-
lighting thyself in the society of the saints ? remem-
ber the everlasting ainiable society thou shalt have
with perfected shints in rest. "• Is God ccmmunicatins?;
himself to thy spirit: remember that time when thy
joy shall be full. Dost thou hear or feel the tempest
of M-ars, or see any cloud of blood arising ? remem-
ber the day thai jhou shall be housed with Christ,
where there is nothing but c*.]mness and amiable
union, and where we shall solace ourselves in perfect
peace, under the wings of the prince of peace. Tims
you may see what advantages to an heavenly life every
condition and creature doth afford us, if we have but
■hearts to apprehend and improve them.

7. Another singular help is this : be much irr-4hat
angelical work of prtiise. As the most heavenly spi-
rits will have the most heavenly employment, so the
more heavenly the employment, the Uiore will it make
the spirit heavenly : though the heart be the fountain
of all our actions, yet do those actions, by a kind of
reflection, work much on the heart from wher.c* they
spring: the like also may be said of our speeches. Sd

ol2 The Saijity Everlasting ReH*

that the work of praising God, bein?^ the most hea-
venly work, is likely to raise us to the most heavenly^
temper. This is the work of those saints and angels,
ai)d this will be our own everlasting work : if we were
more tak«n up in this employment now, we should be
liker to what we shall be then. When Aristotle was
asked what he thought of music, he answers, Jovem
nequt canere^ negue citharam pidsare ; that Jupiter did
neither sing, nor play on the harp ; thinking it an
unprofitable art to men, which was no more delightful
to God. But christians may better argue from the
like groUHd, that singing of praise is a most profita-
ble duty, because it is as it were so delightful to God
himself, that he hath made it his people's eternal
work : for they shall sing- the so?7g' of Afosesy and the
iong of the Lamb. As desire, and faith, and hope, arc
of shorter continuance than love and joy, so also
preaching, and prater, *nd sacraments, and all means
for confirmation, and expression of faith and hope
shall cease, M^hen our thanks and praise, and triumph-
ant expressions of love and joy shall abide for ever.
The liveliest emblem of heaven that I know upon
earth is when the people of God, in the deep sense of
his excellency and bounty, from hearts abounding
with love and joy, join together both in heart and
voice, in the cheerful and melodious singing of his
praise. Those that deny the use of singing, disclose
their unheavenly unexperienced hearts, as well as>
their ignorant under.nandings. Had they felt the
heavenly delights that many of their brethren in such
duties have felt, they would have been of another
mind ! and whereas they are wont to question, whe-
ther such delights be genuine, or any better than car-
nal or delusive ? Surely the very relish of God and
heaven that is in them, the example of the saints in
scripture, whose spiri^ts have been raised by the same
duty, and the command of scripture lor the use of tliis
means, one wduld think should quickly destroy the

The Sa'iiUa'* Everlasting Rent. 313

»:>

f ontroversy. And a mnn mp.y as truly say of these
deliglUs, as of the testimony of the spirit, that they
•witness themselves to be of God.

T/ittle do we know how we wrong ourselves, by
shutting out of our prayers the praises of God, or
allowing them so narrow a room as we usually do.
Header, 1 entreat thee, remember this : let praises
)iave a larger room in thy duties : keep ready at hand
matter to feed thy praises, as well as matter for con-
fession and petition. To this end stndy the excellen-
cies and goodness of the Lord, as frequently as thy
own necessities and vileness ; study the mercies
which thou hast received, and which are promised ;
both their own worth and their aggravating circum-
stances, as often as thou studiest the sins thou hast
committed. O let God's prviise be much in your
mouths. Seven times a day did David praise him :
yea- his piaisc was continually of hijn. As he that
offcreth praise glorifieth God, so doth he most rejoice
and glad his own soul. Qff(r therefore the sacrifice of
praise contimialbj : m the Juidat of the church let U3 sing-
his /irai&r.

I confess, to a man of a languishing body, where
tlie heart faints, and the spirits are feeble, the cheer-
ful praising of God is more difiicult ; because the
liody is the soul's instrument, and v/hen it lies un-
stringed, or untuned, the music is likely to be ac-
cordingly. Yet a spiritual cheerfulness there may be
within, and the heart may praise, if not the voice.
But where the body is strong, the spirits lively, and
the heart cheerful, and the voice at command, what
advantage have such for this heavenly work ? With
what t>^acrity may tliey sing forth praises? O the mad-
ness of healthful youth, that lay out this vigour of
body and mind upon vain delights, which is so lit for
the noblest work of rnan 1 And O the sinful follv of
Dd

14< TJie Sainti'^ Lvcrlastin^ Rtst

Ci

many who drench their spirits in continual sadness,
and waste their days in complaints and groans, and so
make themselves unfit for this sweet and heaTcnly
work 1 that when they should join with the people of
God in his praise, and delight their souls in singing
to his name, they are studying their miseries, and so
rob God of his praise, and themselves of their solace.
But the greatest destroyer of our comforts in this duty
is our sticking in the tune and melody, and suffering
the heart to be all the wliiie idle, which should perform
the chief part of the work.

8. Another thinp: I will advise you to, is this : be
a careful observer of the drawings of the Spirit, and
■fearful of quenching its motions, of resisting its work-
ings : if ever thy soul get above this earth, and get
acquaintefil with tliis living in heaven, the Spirit of
God must be to thee as the chariot to Elijah ; yea,
the very living principle by which thou must move
and ascend to heaven. O then grieve «ot thy guide,
quench not thy life : if thou dost, no wonder if thy
soul be at a loss ; you little think how much the life
of all your graces depends upon your ready and cor-
dial obedience to the Spirit: when the Spirit urgeth
tlice to secret prayer, and thou refusest obedience ;
when he forbids thee a known transgression, and yet
thou wilt go on ; when he telleth thee which is the
way, and which not, and thou wilt not regard, no
wonder if heaven, and thy soul be atran.cre ; if thou
wilt not follow the Spirit while it would draw thee to
Christ, and to duty ; how should it lead thee to hea-
Ten, and bring thy heart into the presence of God ?
O what bold access shall that s»ul find in its approaches
to the Almighty, that is accustomed to a constant
obeying of the Spirit I And how backward, how dull,
and strange, and ashamed will he be to these ad-
dresses, who hath long used to break away from the
Spirit that woild have guided him ? I beseech thee
l^rn well this lesson, and try this course ; let not the

The Sainti-'' Everlastijig T^est* 31J

iiaotions of thy body only, but the thoughts of tliv
heart be at the Spirit's beck. Dost thou not feel some-
times a stron,2^ impulsion to retire from the world, and
ch'aw near to Go.l ? O thou do not disobey, but tal.e
the offer, and hoist up sail while thou mayest have this
blessed gale. When this wind blows strongest,
thou t^oest fastest, either back^vard or forward. The
more of this Spirit we resist, the deeper will it wound,
and the more we obey, tlic speedier is our pace ; as
he i^oes heaviest that hath the wind in his face, ufid
he easiest that hath it in his back.

CHAP. V.

.> Descri^lion of heavenly Contcinhlaiiun.

THE main thing intended is yet behind, or^d
that which I aimed at when J set upon this work. All
that I have said is but the preparation to this. I once
more entreat thee therefore, as thou art a man that
makest conscience of a revealed duty, ond that dar-
est not wilfully resist the Spiiit, as thou vahirst the
high deli ,hts of a saint, and as thou art faitliful to
the peace and prosperity of thine own soul, that thou
diligently study the directions following ; and that
thou speedily and faithfully put them in practice : I
pray tbee, therefore, resolve before thou readest any
further, and promise here as before the Lord, that if
the following advice be wholesome to thy soul, thou
wilt seiiously set tliyself to the work, and that no ia-
zinsss of spirit shall take thee otT, nor lesser busin^gc
interi Lipt thy course, but that thou wilt approve thy-
self a doer of this word, and not an idle hearer only.
Is this thy promise, and wilt tiiou stand to it? Re-
solve, man, and then I shall be encouraged to give

C\6 The Saints^ EverlastinQ- J^c^f

tb

thee my advice ; only li y it thofouelily, and th^ji
judge : if in the faithful following of this course tkou
do not find an increase of all thy graces, and be not
made more serviceable in tliy place ; if thy soul en-
joy not more fellowship witli God, and thy life be not
fuller of pleasure, and thou have not co.i fort readier
by thee at a dying hour, and when thou hast greatest
need ; then throw these directions back in my face,
and exclaim against me as a deceiver for ever : ex-
cept God should leave thee uncomfortable for a little
season, for the more glorious manifestation of his at-
tributes, and thy integrity ; and single thee out as
he did Job, for an example of constancy and pati-
ence, which would be but a preparative for thy fullest
comfort. Certainly God will not forsake this his own
ordinance, but will be found of those that thus dili-
gently seek him. God hath, as it were, appointed to
meet thee in this way : do not thou fail to give him
the meeting, and thou shall find by experience ^hat
he will not fail.

The duty which I press upon thee so earnestly, I
shall now describe : it is the set and solemn acting of
all the powers of the soul upon this most perfect ob-
ject (re it) by meditation.

I will a little mere fully explain the meaning of this
description, that so the duty may lie plain before thee.
I. Tile general title that I give this duty is medita-
tion : not as it is precisely distinguished from cogita-
tion, consideration, and contemplation ; but as it is
taken in the larger and usual sense for cogitation On
things spiritual, and so comprehending consideration
and contemplation.

That meditation is a duty of (iod's ordaining, not
only in his written law, but also in nature itself, I
R-ver met vfith the man that would deny : but that

The Samts* Everlasting Rest, Sir

it is a duty constantly practised, I must, with sorrcw.
deny : it is in word confessed to be a duty by all, but
by the constant neglect denied by most : and (I bnow
not by what fatal security it comes to pass, that) men
that are very tender conscience-d towards most other
duties, yet as easily overslip this, as if they knew it:
not to be a duty at all ; they that are presently trou-
bled if they omit a sermon, a fast, a prayer in pub-
lic or private, yet were never troubled that they have
omitted meditation, perhaps all tlieir life-time to this
very day : though it be that duly by which all other
duties are improved, and by which the soul digcsteth
truths, and draweth forth their strength for its nou-
rishment. Certainly, 1 think that as a m,an is but
half an hour taking into his stomach that meat which
he must have seven or eight hours to digest ; so a man
may take into his understanding and memory more
truth in one hour, than he is able well to dij:est in
many. Therefore God commanded Joshua, " Thi.;:
the book of the law should not depart out of his n.outhj
but that he should meditate therein day aiid ni:ht :
that he miglit observe to do according to that wJiieh
is written therein." As digestion is the turninsi' the
food into chyle and blood, and spirits and fiesh ; so
meditation rightly managed, turneth the truths re-
ceived and remembered into warm afiection, raised
resolution, and holy conversation. Tiierefore- \shat
good those men are likely to get by sermons or pro-
vidences, who are unaccustomed to meditation, you
TAay easily judge. And why so mu'ch preacliing is
lostamongus.and men can runfrom sermon to sermon,
and yet have such languishing starved sculs, I know
no truer cause than their neglect of meditation. If
men heard one hour and meditated seven ; if they did
as constantly digest their sermons as they hear tlicm,
they would find another kind of benefit by sern.cL j
than the ordinary sort of christians do.

B d 2

is The Sa'mfs Everlasting Rat,

l>ut beca\ise mefVitalion is a c^eneral word, and it is
not all meditation that I here intend; I shall therefore
lay down the diflerence whereby this I am urging is
discerned from all other sorts of meditation. And
the difference is taken from the act, and from the ob-
ject of it.

From the act, which I call the set and solemn act-
ing cf all the powers of the soul,

1. I call ittheactinc^ of them, for it is action that
wc are directing you in now, and not dispositions ; yet
these also are necessarily presupposed : it must be a
soul that is qualified for the work, by the supernatu-
ral grace of the Spirit, which must be able to pei*^
form this heavenly exercise. It is a work of the liv-
ing, and not of the dead : it is a work of all other
the most spiritual, and therefore not to be well per^
Tormcd by a heart that is merely carnal.

2. I call this meditation the acting of the powers of
the soul, meaning the soul as rational. It is the work
of the soul ; for bodily exercise doth here profit but
little. The soul hath its labour audits ease, its busi-
ness and its idleness, as well as the body ; and dili-
gent students are usually as sensible of the labour
and v/cariness of their spirits, as they are of that of
the members of the .body. This action of the soul
is it I persuade thee to.

3. T call it the acting of all the powers of the soul,
to difference it from the common meditation of stu-
dents, wh.ich is usually the mere employment of the
brain. It is not a bare thinking that J mean, nor the
mere use of invention or memory, but a business of
)4 higher and more excellent nature.

The SidntiP Everlasting Rett. Li*)

The understandinp^ is not the whole soul, and
therefore cannot do the whole work : as God hath
made several parts in man, to perform their several
offtces for his nourishment and life ; so hath he or-
dained the faculties of the soul to perform their se-
veral offices for his spiritual life : so the understand-
ing must take in truths, and prepare them for the
will, and it must receive them, and commend them
to the affections : the best digestion is in the bottom
of the stomach : the affections are as it were the
bottom of the soul, and therefore the best digestion
\% there : while truth is but a speculation, swimming
in the brain, the soul hath not tuken fast hold of it ;
Christ and heaven have v^u'ious excellencies, and
therefore God hath forrAcd the soul with a povvcr of
divers ways of apprehendin.^, that so we might be
capable of enjoying those excellencies.

What good could all the glory of heaven have done
us ? or wh:.\t piv-asure should we have had in the
goodness of God himself, if we had been without the
affections of love and joy, whereby Tve are capable
of being delighted in that goodness? So also, what
strength or sweetness canst tliou receive by thy me-
ditations on eternity, while thou dost not exercise
those affections 4rbich are the senses of the soul, by
which it must receive this strength and sweetness I

This !s it thp.t hath deceived christians in this busi-
ness ; they have thought iTieditatlon is nothing but
the bare thinking on truths, and the roliiiigof them
in the understanding and memory, when every school-
boy can do this.

Therefore this is th^ great task in hand, and this
is the wnrk that 1 would set thee on ; to get these
truths from thy head to thy heart ; that all the ser-
mons which thou hast heard of heaven, and all the

320 The Siiinia'' Everlastm^ Rest

notions thou hast conceived of this rest may be turn-
ed into the blood and spirit of affection, and tliou
maycst fe^l them revive thee, and warm thtc at the
heart, and may est so think of heaven, as heaven
should be thoup^ht on.

'D'

If thou shouldst study nothing but heaven ^hile
thou livest, and shouldst have thy thoughts at com-
fh^and, to turn them thither on every occasion, and yet
shouldst proceed no further than this ; this were not
the meditation that I intended : as it is thy \vhole soul
that must possess God hereafter, so must the whole
in a lower manner, possess him here. I have shewn
y©u in the beginning of this treatise, ho^v the soul
must enjoy the Lord in glory, to wit, by knowing, by
loving, by joying in him : why, the very same way
must thou begin thy enjoyment here.

So much as thy understanding and affections are
sincerely acted upon God, so much dost thou enjoy
him : and this is the happy work of this meditation.
So that you se« here is somewhat more to be done,
than barely to remember and think of heaven : as
running, and such like labours, do not only stir a
hand or foot, but strain and exercise the whole body j
so doth meditation the whole soul.

As the whole was filled with sin before, so the
whole mnst be filled with God nov/ ; as St. PauJ saith
of knowledge, and gifts, and faith to remove moun-
tains that if thou hast all these without love, thou
art but as a sounding braas, or as a tmkl'vg cymbal^ so
I may say of the exercise of these, if in this work of
meditation, thou exercise knowledge, and gifts, and
faith of miracles, and not love and joy. thou dost no-
thing ; if thy raeditatiow tends to fill thy note-book
with notions and good sayings concerning God, and
not thy heart with longings after him, and delight ijx

i The Saints'* Everlastiiig nest. 52 1

hiiTi, for aught I know thy book is as much a chris-
! tian as thou.

I call this meditation set and solemn, to difference
it from that which is occasiohaJ. As there is prayer
ivhich is solemn, \yhen we set ourselves wholly to the
duty ; and prayer which is sudden and short, com-
monly called ejaculations, when a man m the midst
of other business, doth send up some brief request
to God : so also there is meditation solemn, when
we apply ourselves only to that work ; and there is
meditation a\ hich is short and cursory, when in the
midst of our business v/c have some good thoiights of
God in our minds. And as solemn prayer is either
first set, when a christian observing it as a standing
duty, doth resolvedly practise it in a constant course ;
or secondly, occa.sional, when some unusual occasion
doth put us upon it at a season extraordinary : so also
meditation.

Now, though I would persuade you to that medi-
tation which is mixed with your common labours, and
to that which special occasions direct you to ; yet
these are not the main tlungs which I here intend :
but that you would make it a constant standini^- duty,
as you do hearing, and praying, and readine^ the
scripture, and that you would solemnly set yourselves
about it, and make it for that time your v/hgle work,
and intermix other matters no more with it, than you
would do with praying, or other duties. Thus you
see what kind oT meditation it is that we speak of,
viz. the set and solemn acting of all the powers of the
soul.

The second part of the difTerence is drawn from its
object, which is rest, or the most blessed estate of man
in his everlasting enjoyment of God in heaAen. JNie-
ditution hath a large field to walk in, and hath as

533 The Sahit'i^ Everlasting Rest,

many objects to work upon, as there are matters, anal
lines, and words in the scriptures, as there are known
crcatiires in the whole creation, and as there are par-
ticuhir discernable passages of Providence in the go-
vernment of persons and actions througli the world :
but the meditation that I now direct you in, is only
of the end of all these, and of these as they refer to
that end : it is not a walk from mountains to valiies,
from sea to land, from kingdom to kingdom, from
planet to planet ; but it is a walk from mountains and
valiies to the holy mount Sion : from sea and land to
the land of the living ; from the kingdoms of this
world, to the kingdom of saints ; fiom earth to hea-
ven ; from time to eternity. It is a walking upon th«
sun, and moon and stars ; it is a walk in the garden
and paradise of God. It may seem far off ; but spirits
are quick ; whether in the body, or out of the l3ody,
their motion is swift ; they are not so heavy or dull as
these earthly lumps, nor so slow of motion as these
clods of flosii. I would not have you cast off your
other meditations : but surely as heaven hath the pre-
emini^nce in perfection, so should it have -lie pre-emi-
nence also in our meditation ; that winch will make
us most happy when we possess it, will make us most
joyful when we meditate upon it ; especially when that
meditation is a de. ree of possession, if it be such af-
fecting meditation as I hei'e describe.

You need not here be troubled with fear, least stu-
dying so much on these high matters should make
you mad. If I set you to meditate as much on sin
and wrath and to study nothing but judgment and
damnation, then vou might fear such, an issue : but
it is heaven, and not hell, that I would ])ersuade you
to walk in ; it is joy, and not sorrow- that I persuade
you to exercise, i would ur \c you to look on no de-
formed object, but only upon the ravishing j. lory of
saintSj and the unspeakable excellencies of the Geil

The SalntiP Everlasting Rest, 32s

of glory, and the beams that stream from the face of
his Son. Are these sad thoughts ? Will it distract a
man to think of his happiness i Will it distract the
miserable to think of mercy ? Or the captive or pri-
soner, to foresee deliverance ? Neither do I persuade
your thoughts to matters of great difficulty, or to
study knotted controversies of heaven, or to search
out thinrs beyond your reach. If you should thus
set your wit upon the tenters, you might quickly be
distracted indeed : but it is your affections more than
your inventions that must be used in this heavenly
employment xve speak of. They are truths uhich are
commonly known, which your souls niust draw forth
and feed upon. The resurrection of the body, and the
life everlasting, are articles of your creed, and not
nicer controversies. Mcthinks it should be liker to
make a man mad, to think of living in a world of
woe, to think of abiding among th.e rage of wicked-
ed men, than to thinlc of living with Christ in bliss ;
methinks, if wc be not mad already, it should soon-
er distract us, to hear the tempests and roaring waves,
to see the billows, and rocks, and sands, and gulphs,
than to think of arriving safe at rest. But ^vUdom is
jw^t'Jied of all her children. Knowledge hath no ene-
my but the ignorant. This heavenly course was ne-
ver spoke against by any, but these that never either
knew it, or used it. I more fear the neglect of men
than do approve it. Truth loseth much more by loose
friends, than by the sharpest enemies.

24 Tlie Sairiis^ Everlasting Fest.

CHAP. VI.

The fittest Time and Place far thh Contemp.lat'.on^ and
the Prcparat.on &f the Heart unto it.

THUS I have opened to you the nature of this
duty ; I pioceeri to direct you in the work ; where I
shall, Jir»ft shew you how you must set upon it ; se-
condly^ how you must behave in it ; and, thirdly^ how
you shall shut it up. I advise thee, 1. Somewhat
concernin;^ the time. 2. Somewhat concerning the
place. And 3. Somewhat concerning the frame of
thy spirit.

And 1 . For the time, I advise thee that as much
as may be< it be set and constant. Propoilion oul
such a part of thy time to the work.

Stick not at their scruple, who rjucstion the statin?^
of times as superstitious ; if thou suit out thy time to
the advani^vge of the work, and place no religion in the
time itself; ihou ncedest not to fear lest this be su-
perstition. As a workman in his> shop will have a set
place for every one of his tools, or else when he
should use it, it may be to seek ; so a christi&n
should have a set time for every ordinary duty, or
else when he should practise it, it is ten to one but
he will be put by it. Stated time is a hedge to duty,
and defends it against many temptations to omission.
God hath stated none but tht Lord's day himself; but
he hath left it to be staled by ourselves, according to
every man's condition and occa;sions, lest otherwise
his law should have been a burden or a snare. Ye":
hath he left us general rules, Avhick by the use of rea-
son, and christian prudence, may help us to deter-
mine the fittest timet.

1

The Saints^ Everiastinor Rest, S^5

o

It is as ridiculous a question of them that ask us,
Where scripture commands to pray so oft, or at such
hours? as if they asked, Where the scripture com-
mands that the church stand in such a place ? or the
pulpit in such a place ? or my seat in such a place ?
or where it commands a man to read the scriptures
with a pair of spectales ?

Most that I have known to argue against a stated
time, have at last grown careless of the duty itself,
and showed more dislike against the work than the
time. If God gave me so much money or wealth,
and tell me not in scripture how much such % poor
man must have, nor how much my famHy, nor how
much in clothes, and how much in expense : is it
not lawful, yea, and necessary, that I make the divi-
sion myself, and allow to each the due portion ? So
if God doth bestow on me a day or week of time,
and give me such and such werk to do in this time,
and tell me not how much I shall allot to each work ;
certainly I must make the division myself, and pro-
portion it wisely and carefully too. Though God
haih not told you at what hour you shall rise in the
morning, or at what hours you shall eat and drink ;
yet your own reason and experience will tell you, that
ordinarily you should observe a stated time. Neither
let the fear of customariness and formality deter you
from this. This argument hath brought the Lord's
supper from once a week to ©nee a quarter, or once
a year ; and it hath brought family duties with to®
many of late, from twice a day to once a week, or
once a month.

I advise thee therefore, if well thoH mayest, to al-
low this duty a stated time, and be as constant in it,
as in hearing and praying : yet be cautious in under-
standing this. I know this will not prove every man's
duty : somehavenot themselves and their time at com-
r. e

325 The SahKs' Everlasting Rest,

];iand, and therefore cannot set their hours; such
are, most servants, and many children of poor pa-
rents ; and mrvny are so poor that the necessity of
their families will deny them this freedom. 1 do not
think it the duty of such to leave their labours for
this work just at certain set times, no nor for prayer.
Of two duties we must choose the greater, though of
two sins wc must choose neither. I think such per-
sons were best to be A^atchful, to redeem time as
much as they can and take their vacant opportivnities
as they fall, and especially to join meditation and
prayer, as much as they can, with the labours of their
callings. There is no such enmity between labour-
ing, and meditating or praying in the spirit, but that
both may be done together ; yet I say, as Paul in an-
other case, [f thiiu canfst bcfrtc^ use it rather. Those
that have more spare time, I still advise, that they keep
this duty to a. stated time. And indeed it were no ill
husbandry, nor point of folly, if we did so by all other
duties ; if we coasidered the ordinary w©rks of the
day, and suited out a fit season and proportion of time
to every work, and fixed this in our memory and reso-
lution, or wrote it in a table, and kept it in our closets,
?ind never broke it but upon unexpected and extraor-
dinary causes ; if every work of the day had thus its
appointed time, wc should be better skilled, both in re-
deeming time and performing duty.

2. I advise thee also, concerning thy time for thi»
duty, that as it be stated, so it be frequent ; just how
oft it should be, I cannot determine, because men's
conditions may vary it : but in general, that it be
iVequent, the scripture rcquireth, when it mentioneth
meditating continually, and day and night. Circum-
stances of our condition, may much vary the circum-
stance of our duties. It may be one man's duty to
hear or pray oftencr than another, and so it may be
in this of meditation : but for those that wn convc-

I

The Saints^ Everlasting Rest» 327

Piiently omit other business, I advise, that it be once ai
day at least. Thoii:.;h scripture tells us not how oft
in a day v^e should eat or drink ; yet prudence and ex-
perience will direct us twice or thrice a day.

Those that think, tliey should not tie themselves to
order and number of duties ; but should then only nie-
ditsite to pray, Avh^n they find the spirit provoking iheni
to it, L?,o upon uncertain and unchristian grounds. I
am sure, the scripture provokes U3 to frequency, and
our necessity secondeth the voice of scripture; and if
through my own neglect, or resisting the Spirit, I do
not find it so excite me, I dare not therefore disobey
the scripture, nor neglect the necessities of my ov/n
soul. I should suspect that Spirit which would turn my
soul from constancy in duty : if the Spirit" in scripture
bid me meditate or pray, I dare not forbear it, because
I find not the Spirit within me to second the com-
mand : if I find not incitation to duty before me, yet
I may find assistance while I wait in performance. I
am afraid of laying my corruptions upon the Spirit, or
blaming the w.int of the Spirit's assistance, when I
should blame the backwardness of my own heart : ncr
dare I make one corruption a pi. a for another : nor
urge the inward rebellion of my nature, as a reason
for the outward disobedience of my life ; and for the
iiealing of my nature's backwardness, I more expect
that the Spirit of Christ should do it in a way of
duty, than in a Avay of disobedience and neglect of
duty. Men that fall on duty according to the frame
of their spirit only, are like our ignorant vulgar, who
think their appetite should be the only mle of their
eating ; when a wise man judgcth by reason and ex-
perience, lest when his appetite is depraved, he should
either surfeit or famish. Our appetite isno sure rui^
for our times of duty : but the word of God in gene-
ral, and our spiritual reason, experience, necessity, and
convenience in particular, may truly direct ui.

328 7 fie Sa'mu' Ev.. ..:...iig J^csi.

Three reasons especially should persuade Ihee to
frequency in this meditation on heaven.

1. Because seldom conversing with him will breed
a strangeness betwixt thy soul and. God : frequent so-
ciety breeds familiarity, and familiarity increaseth
love and delight, and maketh us bold and confident in
our addresses. This is the main end of this duty, that
thou mayest have acquaintance and fellowship with
God therein ; therefore if thou come but seldom to
it, thou wilt keep thyself a stranger still, and so miss
of the end of the work.

2. Seldomness will make thee unskilful in the work,
and strange to the duty, as well as to God. How
clumsily do men set their hands to a work they are
seldom employed in ! whereas, frequency will habitu-
ate thy heart to the work, and thou wilt i)etter know
the way in which thou daily walkest, yea, and it
will be more easy and delightful also : the hill which
made thee pant and blow at the first going up, thou
mayest run up easily when thou art once accustomed
to it.

3. And lastly. Thou wilt lose that heat and life by
long intermissions, which with much ado thou didst
obtain in duty. If thou eat but a meal in two or
three days, thou wilt lose thy strength as fast as thou
gettest it: if in holy meditation thou getnear to Chiust,
and warm thy heart with the fire of love, if thou then
turn away, and come but seldom, thou wilt soon re-
turn to thy former coldness.

It is true, th.e intermixed use of other duties may
do much to the keeping thy heart above, especially
secret prayer : but meditation is the life of most
other duties; and the view of heaven is the life of me-
ditation.

The SaintiP Everlasting Meat, 329

Concerning the time of this duty, I advise tl^ee,
th:it thou choose the most seusonabie time. All thtse
are beautiful in their season. Unseasonableness ma/
lose thee the fruit of thy labour; it may raise disturb-
ances and difficulties in the work ; yea, it may turn
a duty to sin ; wh«n th'j seasonablentss of u duly doth
make it ei.sy,do"h remove impediments, doth embolu-
cn us to the undertaking, and ripen its fruit.

The seasonsof this duty are citht;r, 7" r.s/, ordhiary ;
or, Secondly^ extraordi:-ary.

Firsts The ordinary seaso'i of your dciily perform-
ance cannot be particularly determined, other. vise
God would have determined it in his word. Men's
conditions of employment, and freedom, and bodily
temper, are so various- that the same may be a sea-
sonable hour to one, which may be unseasonable to
another. If thou be a servaet. or an hard labourer,
that thou hast not thy time at command, thou must
take that season which ihy business will best afford:
either as thou sittest in the shop at thy work, or as
thou travellest on the way, or as thou liest wakujg.in
the night. Every man best knows his own time,
even when he has the least to hinder him in the
world : but for those whose necessities lie them not
so close, but that they may choose what time of the
day they will, my advice to such is, that they care-
fully observe the temper of their bo«.!y and mind, and
mark when they find their spirits most active and fit
for contemplation, and pitch upon that as the stated
time. Some men are freest for duties when they are
fasting, and some are then the uniutest of all Every
mail is the meetest judge for himself. The time I
have ..hvays found fittest for myself, is, the evening-,
from sun-setting to the tT\ilic;ht ; and sometimes m
the night, wljen it is warm aiid clear.

330 The Sa'mts^ Everlasting Rest^

The Lord's day is a time exceedingly seasonable
for this exercise. When should we more seasonably
coDtemplate on rest, than on that day which doth ty-
pify it to us ? Neither do I think that typifying use is
ceased, because the antitype is not fully come. How-
ever it being a day appropriated to worship and spi-
ritual duties, we should never exclude this duty,
which is so eminently spiritual. I think, verily, this
is the chief work of a christian sabbath, and most
agreeable to the intent of its positive institution.
What fitter time to converse with our Lord, than on
that day which he hath appropriated to such employ-
ment, and therefore called it the Lord's day ? What
fitter day to ascend to heaven, than that on which
©ur Lord did arise from earth, and fully triumph
over death and hell, and take possession of heaven
before us ?

Two sorts of christians I would entreat to take no-
tice of this especially.

\. Those that spend the Lord's day only in pub-
1-ic worship : either through the neglect of medita-
tion, or else by their over-much exercise of the pub-
lic, allowing no time to private duty : though there
be few that offend in this kind ; yet some there are,
and a hurtful mistake to the soul it is. They will
grow but in gifts, if they exercise but their gifts in
outward performances,

2. Those that have time on the Lord's day for
idleness and vain discourse, and find the day longer
than they know how well to spend : were these but
acquainted with this duty of contemplation, they
would need no other recreation ; they would think
the longest day short enough, and be sorry that the
tiight htid shortened their pleasure.

The Saints^ Everlastino- Rest, 351

Secondly, For the extraordinary performance, these
following are seasonable times.

1. When God doth extraordinarily revive thy spi-
rit. When God hath enkindled thy spirit Avith fire
from above, it is that it may mount aloft more free-
ly. It is a choice part of a christian's skill, to obserrc
the trimper of his own spirit, and to observe the gales
of grace, and how the Spirit of Christ doth move up-
on his. JVithrmr. Christ we can do nothing : therefore
let us be doing Avhen he is doing ; and be sure not to
be out of the way^ nor asleep, when he comes. A
little labour will set thy heart a going at such a time,
when anotker time thou mayest take pains to little
purpose.

2. When thou art cast into trouble of mind through
sufferings, or fear, or care, or temptations, then it is
seasonable to address thyself to this duty. When
should we take our cordials, but in our times of faint-
ing ? When is it more seasonable to walk to heaven,
than when we know not on what corner on earth to
live with comfort ? Or when should our thoughts con-
verse above, but when they have nothing but grief to
converse with below ?

Another fit season for this heavenly duty, is, when
the messengers of God summon usto die; wheneither
our gray hairs- or our languishing bodies, or some
such fore-runners of dea.th. tell us that our change
cannot be far off: when should we more frequently
sweeten our souls with the believing thoughts of an-
other life, than when we find that this is almost end-
ed, and when flesh is raising fears and terrors ? Sure-
ly no men have greater need of supporting jeys than
dying men ; and those joys must be fetched from our
eternal joy.

332 The Saints^ Everlasting R(^st,

It now follows, that I speak a word of the fittest
place. Though God is every whereto be found, yet
some places are more convenient than others.

1. As this is a private and spiritual duty, so it is
most convenient that thou retire to some private place ;
our spirits have need of every help, arid to be freed
from every hinderance in the work. For occasional
meditation I give thee not this advice ; but for set and
solemn duty I advise, that thou withdraw thyself from
all society, that thou mayest awhile enjoy tlie society
of Christ.

And as I advise thee to a place of retiredness, s«
also that thou observe more particularly, what place
or posture best agrceth with thy spirit ; y hether
within door, or without, whether sitting still,, or walk-
ing. I believe Isaac's example in this also, will di-
rect us to the place and posture which will best suit
with most, as it doth with me, viz. His ivalkvig forth
to meditate in the Jidda at even tide^ And Christ's oviii
example gives us the like direction. Christ \vas used
to a solitary garden ; and though he took his disciples
thither with him, yet did he separate himself from
them for more secret devotions.

I

I am next to advise thee somewb^.t concerning the
preparations of thy heart. The success of the work
doth much depend on the frame of thy heart. When
man's heart bath nothing in it that might grieve the
Spirit, then was it the delightful habitation of his
Maker. God did not cjuit his residence there, till
man did repel hivii by unwort-^iy provocations. There
grew iio strangeness, Lill the heart grew sinful, and
too loathsome a dun, egn for God to delight in. And
were this soul restored to its former innocency, God
w^ould quickly return to his former habitation : yea,
•o far as it is renewed and repaired by the Spirit, the

The SalntiP Everlasting Rest, 535

Lord will yet acknowledge it his own, and Christ will
manifest himself unto it, and the Spirit will lake it
for its temple and residence. So far as the soul is
qualified for conversing with God. so far it doth ac-
tually enjoy him. Therefore keeji thij heart ijciih all
diligence^ for from thence are the issues of life.

More particularly, when thou seltest on this duty,
J . Get thy heart as clear from the world as thou
canst ; wholly lay by the thoughts of thy business, of
thy troubles, of thy enjoyments, and of every thing
that may take up an> room in tliy soul. Get thy
soul as empty as possibly thou canst, that so it may
be the more capable of being filled with God. It is
a work that will require all the powers of the soul, if
they were a thousand times more capacious and ac-
tive than they are, and therefore you have need to lay
by all other thoughts and affections while you are bu-
sied here.

C. Be sure thou set upon this work with the great-
est seriousness that possibly thou canst. C'uslcmari-
ness here is a killing sin. There is no trifling in
holy things ; God will be sanctified of all that draw
near him. These spiritual duties are the most dan-
gerous, if we miscarry in them, of all. The more
they advance the soul, being well used, the more they
destroy it, being used unfaithfully ; as the best mcati
corrupted are the worst.

To help thee therefore to be serious when thou set-
test on this work ; /Vr*^, labour to have the deepest
apprehensions of the presence of God, and of the
incomprehensible greatness of the majesty which
thou approachest. Think with what reverence thou
shouldst approach thy Maker : think thou art address-
ing thyself to him, that ir.ade the ivorlds 'v.nth the wo'-*'

334 The Saints- Everlasting I^est,

•f h's mouth ; that u/iholds the earth an in the palm ^
his hand ; that keefis the sun, and moon,, and heaven
in their courses ; that bounds the rag ng sea sv'th the
sands, and sa'th, Hitherto go, and no further : ihou
art goin?: to converse Tvith him, before whom the
earth will quake, and devils tremble ; before v.'hose
bar thou must shortly stand, and all the world with
thee, to receire their doom. O think, I shall then
have lively apprehensions of his majesty : my drov/sy
spirits will then be awakened : why should I not now
be roused with the sense of his ^jrcatncss, f^nd the
dread of his name possess my soul.

Secondly, Labour to apprehend the greatness of the
work which thou atteniptest, and to be deeply sensible
both of its wejg'ht and height. If thou wert pleading
for thy life at the bar of a judge, thou wouldst be se-
rious ; and yet that were but a trifle to this : if thou
wert en,:jaged in such a work as David was against
Goliah, whereon the kingdom's deliverance depend-
ed, in itself considered, it were nothing to this. Sup-
pose thou wert going to such a wrestling as Jacob's ;
suppose thou wert going to see the sight which the;
three disciples saw in the mount ; how seriously, how
reverently wouldstthou both approach and behold ! If
some angel from heaven should but appoint to meet
thee, at the lime and place of thy contemplation how
apprehensively wouldst thou go to meet him 1 Why,
consider then with what a spirit thou shouldst m"ect
the Lord, and with what seriousness and dread thou
shouldst daily converse with him.

Consider also the blessed issue of the work. If it
succeed, it will be an admission of thee into the pre-
sence of God, a beginning of thy eternal glory on
earth ; a means to make thee live above the rate of
ftther men, and admit thee into the next room to the

The SamtfP Everlasting Rest, 33 j

angels themselves ; a means lo make thee live and
die both joyfully and blessedly : so that the prize be-
inr^ so great, thy preparation shculd be answerable,.

CHAP. VII.

' 'hat .^f^ciio7:s mnH be acted^ and by ivhnt C^nsidcrt.-
■- tions and Objects^ and in what Order.

TO draw the heart nearer the work ; tke next
thing to be di^scovered, is, What powers of tiie soui
must here be acted, what affections excited, Avhat
considerations are necessary thereto, and in what el-
der we must proceed.

1. You must go to the memory, which is the ma-
p;a2ine or treasury of the understanding ; thence you
must take forth those heavenly doctrines which you
intend to make the subject of your meditation. For
the present purpose, you may look over any promise
of eternal life in the gospel ; any description of the
glory of the saints, of the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting : some one sentence' concerning
those eternal joys may afford you matter for many
years meditation ; yet it will be a point of wisdom
here, to have always a stock of matter in our memo-
ry, that so when we should use it, we may bring forth
out of our treasury things new arid old. If we took
things in order, and observed some method in respect
of the matter, and did meditate first on one truth con-
cerning eternity, and then another, it would not be
amiss. And if any should be barren of matter
through weakness of memory, they may have notes or
fcooks of this subject for their furtherance.

33d Thf Saints* Everlasting Rest*

2. When you have fetched from your memory th«
matter of your meditation, your nejct work is to pre-
sent it to your judcjnicnt : open there the case as
fully as thou canst, set forth tlie several ornaments of
the crown, the several dignities belonging to the
kins^dom, as they are partly laid open in the begin-
ning of this book : let judgment deliberately view
them over, and take as exact a survey as it can ; then
put the question, and require a determination. Is
there happiness in all this, or not? Is not here enough
to make me blessed ? Can he want any thing, who
fully possesseth God ? Is there any thing higher for
a creature to attain ? Thus urge tliy judgment to pass
an upright sentence, and compel it to subscribe to the
perfection of thy celestial happiness, and to leave this
sentence as under its hand upon record.

Thus exercise thy judgment in the contemplaiion
of thy rest ; thus magnify and advance the Lord in
thy heart, till an holy admiration hath possessed thy
soul.

3. But the great work, which you m.iy either pre-
mise, or subjoin to this as you please, is, to exercise
thy belief of the truth of thy rest ; and ihat both in
respect of the truth of the promise, and also the
truth of thy own interest and title. As unbelief doth
cause the languishing of all our graces ; so faith
would do much to revive and actuate them, if it were
but revived and actuated itself.

If we did soundly believe that there is such a
^lory, that within a ftw days our eyes shall behold
it: 6 what passions would it raise within us 1 Were
wc thoroughly persuaded, that every word in the scrip-
ture concerning the inconceivable joys of the king-
dom-, and the inexpressible blessedness of the life to
come, were the very word of the living God, and should

The Saints' Everlcslng Rest, SSr

certainly be performed to the smallest tittle, O wliat
astonishing apprehensions of that life would i: breed 1
How would it actuate every affection ! How would it
transport us with joy, upon the least assurance of our
title r If I were as verily persuaded, that I shall sJiorl-
ly see those great things of eternity, promised in the
word, as I am that this is a chair that I sit in, or that
this is paper that I write on ; uould it not put another
spirit within me ? Would it not make me forget and
despise the world ? and even fjrget to sleep, or to eat ?
and say, as Christ, / have meat to eat that ye k'low not
of. O sirs, you little know what a thorough belief
lYould work.

Therefore, let this be a chief part of thy business
in meditation. Read over the promises : study all
confirming providences. Call forth thine own expe-
riences : Remember the scriptures already fulfilled
both to the church and saints in the former ae^es, and
eminently to both in this present age, and those that
have been fulfilled particularly to thee.

Set before your faith, the freeness and the univer-
sality of the promises: consider God's offer, and
urge it upon all, that be hath excepted from the con-
ditional covenant no man in the world, nor will ex-
clude any from heaven, who will accept of his offer.
Study also the gracious disposition of Christ, and his
readiness to welcome all that will come : study all the
evidences of his love, which appeared in his sufftr-
ings, in his preaching the gospel, in his condescen-
sion to sinners, in his easy conditions, in his exceed-
ing patience, and in his urgent invitations : do not
all these discover his readiness to save ? Did he ever
manifest himself unwilling ? Rememberalso his faith-
fulness to perform his engagements. Study also the
evidences of his love in thyself? look over the works
of his grace in thy soul : if thou dost not find the
pf

333 The Saints^ Everlasting ResU

t]ct;rtc; which thou dcsirest, yet deny not that degree
V hich ihou fmdest. Retiiember tvhat discoveries of
t!.y state thou hast made formerly in the ivork of self-
txamination. Remember all the former testimonies
of ilie Spirit ; "und all ll»e sweet fceling-s of the favour
cf Ciod : and all the prayers that he halh heard and
p rented ; and all the i)reserTations and deliverances :
und all the progress cf his Spirit, in his workings on
ihy soul, and the disposals. of Providence, conducing
\o ihy good ; and VGiicLsafing of means, the directing
of lUee to them, the dircclin?; of ministers to meet
Avith thy state, the restraint of those sins that thy na-
ture \?as most prone to. Lay these altogether, and
t))t:n think with thyself, whether all these do not tes-
tify the good will of the Lord concerning thy salva-
tion ? And Avhethtr thou maycst not conclude with
Sampson's mother, when her husband thought they
should surely die. '' If the Lord were pleased to kill
us, he "would not have received an offering at our
hands, neither would he have shewed us all these
things ; nor would, as at this time, have told us such
things as these," Judges xiii. 2 2, 23,

2. When the meditation hath thus proceeded
£.bout the truth of thy happiness, the next part of the
work is to meditate of its goodness ; that when the
judgment haih determined, and faith' hath apprehend-
ed, it may then pass on to raise the afTections.

1. The fli'st affection to be acted, is love ; the ob-
ject of it is goodness : here then is the reviving
part of thy work : go to thy memory, thy judgment,
and thy faith ; and from them produce the excellen-
cies of thy rest ; take out a copy ©f theVecord of the
Spirit in scripture, and ano;l)er of tlie sentence re-
gisitied in thy spirit whereby the transcendent glory
of the saints is declared : present these to thy affection
of love ", open lo it the cabinet that contains the

The Saints' Everlasting Rest. GiT?)

pearl ; shew it the promise, and that which it asser-
eth ; thou needest not look on heaven through a mul-
tiplying glass : open but one casement, that love may-
look in ; give it but a glimpse of the back parts of
God, and thou wilt firu:! thyself presently in anotlier
world : do but spsak out, and love can hear; do but
reveal these thiH.5:3 aud love can see ; it is the brutish
love of the world tiiat is blind ; divine love is cKceed-
ingly quick-sighted. Let thy faith, as it were, take
thy heart by the hand, and shew it the suoiptuous
buildings of thy eternal habitation, and the glorious
ornaments of thy Father's house ; shev/ it thosci man-
sions which Christ is preparing, and display btioro it
the honours of the kingdom ; let faith lead thy hL-art
into the presence of Gad, and draw as near as possi-
bly thou canst, and say to it, Behold, the Ancient of
Days ; the Lord Jehovah, nxhose name is I AM: thic is
he who made the worMs with his word ; this is the
cause of all causes, the spring of action, the foun-
tain of life, the first principle of the creatures' mo-
tions, who upholdri the earth, who ruleth the nations,
who disposeth of events, and subdueth his foes : who
governeth the depths of the great waters, and bound-
eth the rage of her swelling waves; who ruleth the
winds, and moveth the orbs, and causeth the sun to
run its race, and the several planets to know their
courses : this is he that loved thee from everlastino^,
that formed thee in the womb, and gave thee this
soul ; who brought thee forth, and shewed thee the
light, and ranked thee with the chief of his earthly
treatures ; who endued thee with thy understanding,
and beautified thee with his gifts ; who mjiintaineih
thee with life, and health, and comforts ; who gave
thee thy preferments, and dignified thee with thy
honours, and differenced thee from the most misera-
ble and vilest of men. Here, O here is an object
worthy thy love ; here thou maycst be sore thou canst
not love too much : this is the Lord that hath blesset?

40 The SamtJi'* Ezcrla&tin^ Rest,

il'.ee with his benefits, that hatli rpread ihy table in
the sight of thy enemies, and caused thy cup to over-
flow. This is he that angels and saints praise, and
the host of heaven must magnify for evtr.

Thus do thou expatiate In the praises of God, and
open his excellencies to thine ovn heart, till thou feel
the life begin to stir, aud the fire in thy breast begin
to kindle : as gazing upon the dusty beauty of fiesh
doth kindle the fire of carnal love ; so this gazing on
the glory and goodness of thee Lord \viil kindle spi-
ritual love. What though .thy heart be rock and
Uint, this often striking may bring forth the fire : but
if yet thou feelest not thy love to work> lead thy heart
further, and shew it yet more ; shew it the Son ofthe
living God, whose name is Wonderful Counsellor^ the
mighty Gody the everlasting Father^ the Prince of
Peace: shew it the King of saints on the throne of
his glory, '< who is, and was, and is to come ; who
liveth and was dead, and behold, he lives for evermore,
who hath m.ade thy peace by the blood of his cross,
and hath pcpp.red thee, with himself, an habitation
of peace ;" his ofTice it to be the ^nat fieact-waker :
h/is kingdom is a kingdom of peace ; liis gospel is
the tidings of peace : his voice to thee now is the
Ao:ce of peace ; draw near and behold him ; doit
thou not hear his voice ? He that called Thomas lo
come near and lo ste the print of the nails, and to put
his fir.gtr into his wounds, he it is that calls to thee,
come near and view the Lord thy Saviour, and be not
faitliltss, but believing ; J^cace be unto thce^ fear not y
it is I ; 4)0 that calieth, behold me, behold me, to a
rebellious people that called not on his name, doth
call out to thee a believer to btliold him ; i;e that crdls
lo them who pass by, tobeliold his sonowon the day
of his liumiliation, doth call now to thee to behold
liis glory in the day of his exaltation^ look well
upon iiim : dost thou not know him ? Why, it is lit

^hat brouffln thee up from tlic piVof hell ; it is he tliat
rtvcrscd the stiitcnce oT \!.y dimiiifition ; that l)f)Vf'
llie curse; which tho\i shouUUt liave borne, and '
stored thee to the blessini^ that ihcu liadst foiftiti
and purchased the r.dvancement which tl ou m;ist ii -
heiit for ever; and yet dost ihou not know hirn ?
Why, his hands were pierced, his head was pitrcct',
hi? sides were pierced, his ht^art was pierced wiiii the
sting oF thy sins, that by these marks thou nuiyist al-
ways know him: dost tl'ou not remcnibcr when he
found thee lyitt'^V J" ^hy l>iood, and took pity cm Lee,
and dressed thy w^ounds, and brougluilte home, aivi
said unto ihee, live? liast thou forgotten since l.c
^•f'oundcd himself to cure thy wounds, and let om );'
own blood to stop thy bleeding ? Is not tlie passage ! >
his heart yet standing open? If thou know Ijim r.. i
not by the face, the voice, the hands ; if thou kr.o./
him not by tiie tears and bloody sweat, yet look nta? -jr.
'houmayest know \\\m by the heart; that LiLke:;,
healed heart is his, that dead-revived ]^eart is his,
that pitying-, meltin;^ heart is his ; doubtless it can

• a nor^e bu'. h's. Love and compassion are its certain
-ignatures ; this is he, even this is he, who v.c uld
rather die than thou shouldst die, who cliOi-e thy life
before his own, who pleads his blood before hi", Fa-
ther, ai.d makes continual intercession for thee. If
lie had not sufTcrcd, OI what had^t thou sufiu-ed ?
What hadst thou been if lie had r^oi rv;deemed thee ?
Whither hadst thou gone, if he had not recalled t!iee ?
There was but one step between thee and hell, when
he stept in and bore the slioke; he slew^ the- bear,
and rescued the prey ; he delivered thy soulfiomthe

roaring lion ; pr.d is not here fuel enough for love
to feed o» ? Doth not this loadstone snatch thy heart
and almost draw it forth from thy breast ? Canst thou
read the history of love any further at once ? Doth
not thy. throbbing heart here step to ease itself; and
dost thou notj as Joseph, seek for a place to weep in ?
f f 'I

.^42 The SaintfP Everlasting Rest,

Or (^o not the tears of ihy love bedew these lines ? Go.
then, for the field of love is lari^e, it will yield thee
fresh contents for ever, and be thine eternal work to
behold and love ; thou needest not then want work
for thy present meditation.

Hast thou foi gotten the time when thou wast weep-
ing, and he wiped the tears from thine eyes ; when
thou wast bleed in ■2:, and he wiped the blood from thy
soul ; when prickin;^ cares and fears did grieve thee,
and he did refresh thee and draw out the thorns ?
Hast thou forgotten when thy folly wounded thy soul,
and t!ie veneraous guilt seized upon thy heart ; when
lie sucked forth the mortal poison from thy soul,
though therewith he drew it into his own.

I remember it is written of good Melancthon, that
when his child was removed from him, it pierced his
heart to remember, how he once sat weeping, with
the infant on his knee, and how lovingly it wiped the
tears from the father's eyes : how then should it pierce
thy heart to think how lovingly Christ hath wiped
away thine 1 O how oft hath he found thee sitting
weeping, like Hagar, while thou gavest up thy state,
thy friends, thy life, yea, thy soul for lost : and he
opened to thcc a well of consolation, and opened thine
eyes idso that thou mayest sec it ? How oft hath he
found th.ee in the posture of Lliaji, sitting under the
tree forlorn itnd solitary, and desiring rather to die
than to live ; and he hath spread thee a table from
heaven, and sent thee away refreshed and encourag-
ed ? How oft hath he found thee as the servant of EK-
as, cyin^ out, Mas I %vhat ahall nvc do^ an ficst doth co7n-
pass the city ? And he hath opened thine eyes to see
i»ore for thee than against thee, both in regard of the
enemies of thy soul and thy body. How oft hath he
found thee in such a passion as Jonas, in thy peevish
frenzy, weary of thy life ; and he hath not answered

J

' The Saintfi'' Everlasting ntst. 345

passion with passion, thoucjh he might have clone v/ell
to be angry, but hath nuklly reasoned thee out of thy
madness, and said, Dost thou 'v:cll to be angry, or to re-
pine against me ? How oft hath he set thee on watch-
ing and prjiying, or repenting and believing, and when
he hath returned, hath found thee fast asleep ? and yet
he hath not taken the e at the worst, but instead of an
angry aggravation of thy fault, he hath covered it over,
with the mantle of love, and prevented thy over-much
sorrow with a gentle excuse. 77ie s/rirU is iv U ng, but
the flesh IS weak. He mi;^ht have done by thte, as
Epaminondas by his soldier, who finding him asleep
upon the watch, run him through with his sword, and
said, '^ Dead 1 found thee, and dead I leave ihee :" but
he rather chose to awake thee more gently, that his
tenderness mig^ht admonish liiee, and keep thee A\atch-
ing. How oft hath he been traduced in his cause, or
name, and thou hast, like Peter, denied him (at least
by thy silence) whilst he hath stood in sight 1 Yet all
the revenge he hath taken, huth been a heart-melting
look, and a silent remembering thee of ihy fault by
his countenance. How oft hath conscience haled tiiee
before him, as the Pharisees did the adulteious wo-
man : and laid most heinous crimes to thy charge ?
And when thou hast expecte:' to hear the sentencje of
death, he hath shamed away thy accusers : and put
them to silencc,^§nd said to thee, J^hther do I con-
demn thee ; g^^fiy "ivay, and sin no more.

And art thou not yet transported with love ? Can
Ihy heart be cold when thou thinl.est of this, or can
it hold when thou rememberest those boundless com-
passions ? Rememberest thou not the time when he
met thee in thy duties ; when he smiled upon thee,
and spake comfortably to thee ? when thou didst " sit
under his shadow with great delight, and when his
fruit was sweet to thy. taste ? when he brought thee to
his banqueting-housc, and his banner over thee was

314? The SainU^ Everlasthifr J^est,

love ? when his left h.ancl was under thy head, and with
his right hand he did eml)race thee ?" And dost thou
not yet cry out, &'ray vie, conifort me^ for, 1 am cick cf
love ? Thus I would have tiiec deal with thy heart ;
thus hold forth the goodness of Christ to thy affections ?
plead thus the case with thy frozen soul, till thou say
as David in aiiuther case, My heart ivas hot toithui me.

If these arguments will not rouse up thy love, thou
hast more of this nature at hand : thou hrst all Christ's
personal cxrellencies to study : thou hast all his parti-
cular mercies to thyself; thou habt all liis sweet
and near relations to thee, and thou hai^t the happiness
of thy perpetual abode \vith him hereafter. All these
offer themselves to tliy meditation, with all their se-
veral bran^ hes. Only follow them close to thy heart,
ply the work, and let it not cool : deal vrith thy heart,
as Christ did with Peter, when he asl<ed thrice
over, Lovest thou me 7 till he was grieved, and an-
swers, Lord, thou kno-vrst that Hove thee. So say to
thy heart, lovest thou the Lord ? and ask it the se-
cond time, and urge it the third time, lovest thou
the Lord ? till thou grieve it, and shame it out of its
stupidity, and it can truly say, thou knoAvcst that I
love him.

S". The next affection to be excited is desire. The
object of it is goodness not yet attained. I'his being
so necessary an attendant of love, and being excited
much by the same considerations, I sup])ose you need
the less direction, and therefore I shall touch but
briefly on this ; if love be hot, desire will not be
cold.

When thou hast thus viewed the goodness of the
Lord, and considered the pleasures that are at his
right-hand, then proceed on thy meditation thus :
think with thyself where have 1 been ? what have I

The Salnu"^ Everlasting Rest, 345

seen ? O llic incompreheiisil)le, astonishing p;lory I

0 the rare transcendent beauty ! O blessed souls that
now enjoy it ! that see a thousand times more clearly,
what I "have seen but darkly at this distance- and
scarce discern through the interposing clouds ! What
a diiferencc is there betwiTJt my state and theirs ! I
am sighing, and they are singing : I am sinning, and
they are pleasing God : I have an ulcerated soul, like
the loathsome bodies of Job or Lazarus, but they arc
perfect and without blemish : I am here entangled in
the love of the world, when they are taken up with
the love of God : T live indeed amongst the means of
grace, and I possess the felloM'ship of my fellow-be-
lievers ; but I have none of their immediate views of
God, none of that fcllov/ship that thty possess : they
have none of my cares aiid fears ; they weep not in
secret ; they languish nf>t in sorrows ; all tears are
wiped away from their eyes. () what a feast hath my
faith beheld, and what a famine is yet in my spirit I

1 have seen a glimpse of the court of God ; but alas,
I stand but as a beegar at the doors, when the souls
of my companions are admitted in, O blessed souls 1
1 may not, I dare not envy your happiness ; I rather
rejoice in my brethren's prosperity, and am glad to
think of the day when I shall be admitted ittto your
fellowship. But O that I were so happy as to be in
your place ; not to displace you, but to rest there
with you. Why must I stay and groan, and weep,
and wait ? My Lord is gone ; he hath left this earth,
and is entered into his glory : my brethren are gone,
my friends are there, my hous •, my hope, my all is
there ; and must I stay behind to sojourn here ? Vv'hat
precious saints have left this earth 1 If the saints were
all here, if Christ were h«re, then it were no grief for
me to stay ; but when my soul is so far distant from
my God, wonder not if I now complain ; an ignorant
Micah will do bo for his idol, and shall not my soul
do so for God ? And yet if I had no hope of enjoy-

34-6 Xhe Saint i,"" Everlasting Rest,

inp:, I would go and hide myself in the deserts, and
spend my days in fruitless wishes : but seeing it is
the promised hind, ilie stale I must be advanced to
myself, and my soul draws near, and it is almost at
it, I will live and lonp: ; I will look and desire : I will
breathe out, How long. Lord, how long ! How long,
Lord, holy and true, wilt thou suffer this soul to pant
and groan ! and wilt not open, and let him in, who
waits and longs to be with ihee !

. Thus, reader, let thy thoughts aspire : thus whef
the desires of thy soul by meditation ; till thy soul
long (as David's for the waters of Bethlehem) and
say, " O that one would give me to drink of the wells
of salvation !" and till thou canst say as he, / have
longed for thy salvation^ O Lord !

3. The next affection t« be acted, is hope. This
is of singular use to the souL It helpeth exceedingly
to support it in sufferings ; it cncourageth it to adven-
ture upon tlie greatest difficulties ; it firmly establish-
eth it in the most shaking trials, and it mightily en-
livens the soul in duties.

Let faith then shew Ihce, tlie truths of the promise,
and judgment the goodness of the thing promised ;
and what tben is wanting for the raising thy hope ?
Shew thy soul from the word and from the mercies,
and from the nature of God what possibility, yea,
what probability, yea, what certainty thou hast of
possessing the crown. Think thus, and reason thus
with thy own heart : why should I not confidently
and comfortably hope, when my soul is in the hands
of so compassionate a Saviour, and when the king-
dom is at the disposal of so bounteous a God ? Did he
ever manifest any backwardness to my g .od, or dis-
cover the least inclination to my ruin ? Ilath he not
sworn to the contrary to me in his word, that he dc-

The Saints^ Everlasting Rent. 347

liglUs not in the death of him that dieth, but raller
that he should repent and live ! Have not all his
dealings Aviih me witnessed the same? Did he not
mind me of my danger, when. I never feared it ? And
why was this, if he would not have me to escape it ?
Did he not mind mc of my happiness, when 1 had
no thoughts of it ? And why was t]>is, but ihat he
would have me to enjoy it ? I have been ashamed of
my hope in the arm of flesh, but hope in the pro-
mise of God makelh not ashamed : I will say there-
fore in my greatest sufferings, '* The Lord is my por-
tion, therefore will I liope in him. The Lord is good
to them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh
him ; it is good that I both hope, and quietly wait
for the salvation of the Lord. The Lord will not cast
off for ever ; but though he cause grief, yet will he
have compassion according to the multiiude of his
mercies." Though I languish and die, yet will I
hope ; for he hath said, The righteous hath hof^e in fat
death. Though I must lie down in dust and darkness,
yet there inyjiesh shall rest in hope. \wd. when my
flesh hath nothing: in which it may rejoice, yet will I
keep the rejoicing of hofie firm to the C7id.

4f. The last affection to be acted, is joy. This is
the end of all the rest ; love, desire, hope, tend to
the raising of our joy. And is it nothing to have a
deed of gift from God ? Art lis infallible promi<-es
Tio ground of joy ? Is it not'-'ni; to live in daily f^x-
pcctation of entering into the kingdom ? Is not my
assurance of being glorified one day, a sufficient
ground for inexpressible joy ? Is it no delight to the
heir of a kingdom, to tlnnk of \vhat he must hey*after
possess, though at present h.e little differ irom a ser-
vant ? Am I rot comuiandcd to rtjo^ce in hofie of the
glory of God ?

'348 The Saints* Everlasting ResU

Here take thy heart once again as it were by the
hand; bring it to the top of the highest mount;
shew it the kingdom of Christ and the glory of it : say
to it, " All this will thy Lord bestow upon thee, who
hast believed in him, and been a worshrpptr of him.
It is the Father's good pleasure to give thee this king-
dom. Seest thou this astonishing glory above thee ?
Why all this is thy own inheritance. This crown is
thine, these pleasures are thine, because thou art
Christ's, and Christ is thine ; when thou wert married
to him, thou hadst all this with him.

Thus take thy heart into the land of promise ;
shew it the pleasant hills and fruitful vallies ; shew it
the clusters of grapes which thou hast gathered, and
)>y those convince it that it is a blessed land, flowing
with better than milk and honey : enter the gates of
the holy city, walk through the streets of the New
Jerusalem, walk bbout Sion, go round about her, tell
the towers thereof, mark well her bulwarks, consider
her palaces, that thou may est tell it to thy soul : " The
foundanon is garnished with precious stones : the
twelve gates are twelve pearls ; the street of the city
is pure gold, as it were transparent glass ; there is no
temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the
Lamb are the temple of it. It hath no need of siu
or moon to shine in it, for the glory of God dot.,
lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof, and the
nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light
of it.'* This is thy rest, O my soul, and this must be
the place of thy everlasting habitation : " Let all the
sons of Sion then rejoice, and the daughters of Jeru-
salem be glad ; for great is the Lord, and greatly is he
praised in the city of our God : beautiful for situation,
the joy of the jtvhole earth is mount Sion ; God is
known in her palaces for a refuge."

Yet proceed : the soul (saith Austin} that Joves,j
ascend frequently, and runs familiarly tbrough the]

cL*ji^p^^,jJl^^,^l4iU^

The Saints^ Everlasting Rest, 549

•otreets of the heavenly Jerusalem, visiting the patri-
archs and prophets, saluting the apostles, and admir-
ing the armies of martyrs and confessors.? So do thou
lead on thy lieart as from street lo street, bringing it
into the palace of the great King ; lead it, as it were, '
from chamber to chamber ; say to it, here must 1
lodge, here mustl live, here must I love, and be loved.
1 nmst shorily be one of this heavenly choir ; I shall
then be better skilled in the music ; among this bless-
ed company must 1 take mj^ place ; my tears will then
be wiped away : there it is that trouble and lamenta-
tion cease, and the voice of sorrow is not heard ; O
when I look upon this glorious place, what a dungeon,
methinks, is earth I O what a difference betwixt a
man feeble, pained, groaning, dying, rotting in tlie
grave, and one of these triumphant, blessed, shining
saints I '' Here shall I drink then of the river of plea-
sure, the streams v/hercof make gladihe city of God.
For the Lord will create a new earth, and the former
shall not be remembered ; we shall be glad, and rejoice
for ever in that which he creates ; for he will create
Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy ; and he
will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in his peo])U', and
the voice of weeping sliall be no more lieard in her,
nor the voice of crying ; there shall be ne more thence
an infunt of da) s, nor an old man that hath not filled
his days."

Why do I not then arise f:om the dust, and lay
aside my sad complaints, and cease my mourning ?
Why do I not trample down vain delights, and feed
upon the foreseen delights of glory ? VVhy is not my
life a continual joy ; and the favour of heaven perp*;-
tually upon my spirit ?

I do not place any fiat necessity in thy acting all the
fore-mentioned affections in lliis order at one tinie,
OP in oiie duly : perhaps thou mayest some time feel
some one of thy affections more flat than the rest, and

000 'Ike Sa'mU^ Lverlaathig Rest*

so to have more lu-ed of cxci:ing : or thou niayest find
ci;c stirrino- niore than ilie rest, and so ihink it more
seasonable to lie!p it forward ; or if iliy time be short,
thou ma) est work upon one afFeciion one day, and
upon another the n'jxt, a;i thou findest cause ; all this

1 leave to thy o^vn prudence.

CHAP. VIII.

i:iOijic Advantages and Ucljis^ftr reining the Soul by
MedilatioTi,

THE next part of this directory, is to shew you
■vyhat advantages you should take, and what helps you
should use, to make your meditations of heaven more
(Quickening, and to make you taste the sv.ectness that
is therein. Fortius is the main work, that you may
not slick in a bare thinking, but may have the lively
sense of all upon your hearts : and this you will find
vo be the most difhcuh part of the work. It is easier
to think of heaven a whole day, than to be lively and
affectiouiite in those thoughts one quarter of an I;our.
Therefore. let us yet a little further consider what may
be done, to make your thoughts of heaven piercingj
affecting thoughts.

It will be a point of spiritual prudence, and sin-
gular help to the furthering of faith, to call our
senses to its assistance : if we can make ua friends of
those usual enemies, and make them instruments of
raisini';' us to God, which are the usual me?ins of
drawir.g us from God, we shall perfoim a very ex-
cellent work Sure it is both possible and lawful to
do scme'.hing in this kind ; for God would not ha\e
given us cither stnses themsthes, or their usual ob-

The Saints* Everlasthig Mest, 551

jects, if they might not liave been serviceable to his
own praise, and helps to raise us lo the apprv^hension
of higher thini?;s: and it is very considerable, liowthH
Holy Ghost doih condescend in tl.e phrase of sciip-
ture, in bringinj^ things down to the reach of sense-;
how he sets forth the excellencies of spiriuial tilings in
words that are borrowed from the objects of sense.
Doubtless, if such expressions had not been best, an<t
to us necessary, the Iloly Ghost would not liave fo
frequently used them : he that will speak to man>
understanding-, must speak in man's lang'!a:^e, and
speak that which he is capable to conceive.

\. Go to then ; when thou settest thyself lo medi-
tate on the joys above, think on them boldly .is scrip-
ture hath expressed them: bring down thy conceiv-
ings to the reach of sense. Excellency, without f;i-
miliarity, doth more amaze than delight us ; but love
and joy are promoted by familiar acquaintance : when
we go about to think of God and glory without these
spectacles, we are Inst, and have notliing to fix our
thoughts Tipori ; Tv'c s"t (.~^\ and h*^a-"cn so far frojjj
U3, that our thoughts are strange, and we look at
them as things beyond our reach, and are ready ip
say, that which is above is nothing to us : to conceive
no more cf God and glory, but that v/e cannot con-
ceive them ; and to apprehend no more, but that they
are past apprehension, will produce no more love but
this, to acknowledge that they arc so far above w^
that we cannot love them, and no more joy \y\i this,
that they are above our rejoicing. And therefore
put Christ no further from you, than he hath put h.im-
self, lest the divine nature be again inaccessible. Think
of Christ as in our own nature glorified ; think of our
fellow-saints as men there perfected ; think of the ci-
ty and state as the Spirit hath expressed it, only with
caution. Suppose thou wert now beholding this city
•f God, and that thou hadst been a companion with

352 The Saints^ Everlasting Rest,

John in his survey of its glory, and hadst seen iht
tls rones, the majesiy, the heavenly hosts, the shining
Eplcndor wliicli he saw ; draw us strong- suppositions
as may be from thy seobC for the helping of thy af-
iections : it is Juwful to suppose we did see for the
present, that which Cod hath in prophesies revealed,
and which, we must really see in more unspeakable
brif^htness before long. Suppose therefore with thy-
self thou hadst been that apostle's fellow-traveller int©
the celestial kingdom, and that thou hadst seen all the
saints in tlieir white robes, with palms in their hands :
suppose thou hadst h.eard those songs of Moses, and of
the »>amb ; or didst even now hear them praising and
glorifying the living- God; if thou hadst seen these
things indeed, in what a rapture v/ouldst thou have
been ! And the more sericusly thou puttest this sup-
position to thyself, the more will the meditation ele-
va'.e thy heart.

I would not have thee, as the Papists, draw them
in pictures, nor use such ways to represent them.
This, as it is a course forbidden by Gotl, &o it wculd
clU seduce and draw down thy heart : but get the
liveliest picture of them in thy mind that por.siUly
tiiou canst ; meditate on them, as if thou wert all Uie
while beholding them, and as if thou wert even hear-
ing th.e hallciuj.ihs ; till tlioa canst say, methinks I
s*;.- 'r\ glimpse of i\u: ^lorv 1 IMctMik'^ I hear the
■/iiinKs of yyf and pr.iise 1 WcJiiinks i even stand by
Abraham a!id David, Peter and Paul, and more of
liiese triumphing souls! Methinks I see the Son of
'viod appearing in the clouds, and the world standing
at iiis bar to receive their doom 1 Methinks 1 heav
him say, CW<? i/c blesfsed of my Father ; and see them
;~^o ri'jUcingima the joy of their Lord ! My very dreams
of these things have deeply affected me ; and should
not these just suppositions affect me much more ?
What if I had seen witii Paul those unutterable things ?

The Saints* Everlasting Rest. ^^5'^

cihould I not have been exalted (and that perhaps Cibove
measure) as well as he ? What if 1 hnd stood in the
room of Stephen, and seen heaven opened, and Christ
sitting at the right hand of God ? Surely that One
sight was worth the suffering his storm of stones. ()
that I might but see what lie did sec, tliongh I also
suffered what he did suffer 1 What if I had se( ti such
a sight as Michaiah saw ? The Lord ftitting iif,on his
throne^ and all the hosCsof heaven standhig on fng ^righr
hand and C7i his Irjt. W^hy these men of God did see
such things ; and I shall shortly see iar more th??n ever
they saw, till they were loosed from the lies!), as I
must be. And thus you see how the familiar con-
ceiving of the state and blessedness* as the Spirit halh
in a condescending language expressed it, ami our
strong suppositions raised Trom onrbodilv senses, will
further our affections in this heavenly worh.

2. There is yet another way by which v.-e mr.}- ni^.ke
our senses serviceable lo vis, and that is, by rompur-
ing the oljicls of sense with the obj-icts of faith ; and
so forcing sense to afford us that rne^-'iiim. fiom
whence wc may conclude the transcendent v.orih of
glory, by arguing from scnsiiive delights as fiom the
less to the greater. And here for your further assist-
ance, I shall furnish you with some of tiiest compara-
tive arguments.

And 1. You must strongly argue with youi- hearts,
from the corrupt delights of sensual men. Think
then with yourselves, when you would be sensible of
the joys above : is it such a delight to a sinner to do
wickedly ?,And will it not be delightful indeed to live
with God ? Hath a drimkard such delight in his cuns
and companions, that the very fears of damnation will
not make lum forsake them? Sure then 'there are
high delights with God ! If the way to hell can afford
such pleasure, v.hat are the pleasures of the saints m
heaven ?

og2

254} The Saint^s Everlasting Rest*

2, Compare also the delights above, with the law-
ful delights of sense. Think with thyself, how sweet
is food to my taste when I am hungry ? Especially, as
Isaac said, that rohich my soul lovtth. What delight
hath the taste in some pleasant fruits, in some well re-
lished meats ! O vyhat delight then must my soul have
in feeding upon Christ the living bread 1 and in eat-
ing with him at his table in his kingdom ! How plea-
sant is drink in the extremity of thirst ! Then how
delightful will it be to my soul to drivk^ thatfouri'
tain of Ibjing watery luhich luhoso driitks shall thirst
no more !

3. Compare also the delights above with the.. de-
lights that are found in natural knov/ledge ; This is
far beyond the delights of sense, and the delights of
heaven are further beyond it. Tliink then, can an
Archimedes be so tahen up with his n.»athematical in-
vention, that the threats of death cannot take him
off? Should I not much mere be taken up M'ith the de-
lights of glory, and die with these contemplations
fresh upon my soul ; especially vrhen my death will
perfect my delights 'i But those of Archimedes ^ie
with him. What a pleasure is it to dive into the se-
crets of nature ! to find out the mysteries of arts and
sciences ! If we make but any new discovery in one
of these, what singular pleasure do we find therein I
Think then what high deli:-\hts there are in the know-
ledge of God and Christ ! if the face of human learn-
ing be so beautiful, that sensual pleasures are to it but
base and brutish ; how beautiful then is the face of
God ! When wu light on some choice and learned
book, how are we taken v/ith it ! we could read and
study it day and night ; we can leave meat,* and drink,
and sleep, to read it ; wli^at delig;hts then are there at
God's right hand, where we shall know in a moment
more than any mortal can know !

The Sainfs Evcrlast'nig Ivesi. 355

4. Compare also thie c!t lights above, with the de-
lights of morality, and of the natural afieciions.
What delight had -many sober heathens in the prac-
tice of moral duties ; so that they took h.im only for an
honest man who did well through the love of virtue,
and not only for fear of punishment ; yea, so highly
did they vahie virtue, that they thought the chief
happiness of man consisted in it. Think then what
excellency there will be in that rare perfection which
we shall be raised to in heaven ; and in that uncre-
ated perfection of Cod which we shall behold I What
sv.eetness is tiiere in the exercise of natural love :
whether to children, to parents, to yoke-fellows or to
friends'. The delight which special, faithful friends
fiiidin loving and enjoying one another, is a most
plcasins;, swtet deliJ^ht : even Christ himself, as it
seemeth, had some of this kind of love, for he bad
one disciple wl om he especially loved. Think then,
if the delights of cordial friendship be so great, what
delights shall we have in the friendship of the ISlost
Kigh ? aiid in our mutual amity with Jesus Christ ?
and in the dearest love and comfort witli the saints ?
Surely this will be a closer and stricter friendship than
ever was betwixt any friends on earth ; and these will
be ^Tiore lovely and desirable friends than any that
ever tlie sun behelil ; and both our affections to our
Father, and our Saviour, but especially his affection
to us^ will be such as here we never knew ; as spirits
are so far more powerful than flesh, tiiat one angel can
destroy an host, so also are their affections more
stron^^- and powerful ; we shall then love a thousand
timei^ 11. ore strongly and sweetly than now we can;
and ai\ all the attributes and works of Cod are incom-
prehcn'jtlile, so is the attribute and work of love : he
will iove 11$ many thousand tinieii more, than we even
at the perlectest, are able to love him : "Vi hat joy then
-will Inhere be in this mutual lo^ e I

3J6 'Ike Sahits^ Everlasting Ren.

5. Compare also the excellencits of heaven with
those glorious works of the creation which our eye*
now behold. What a deal of wisdoirir and power,
and e^oodness appeareth in and through them to a
wise observer ! WJiat a deal of the niajesty of the
great Creator doth shiire in the face of this fal)ric of
the world ! Surely his works are great and admirable,
sought cut of them that have pleasure therein. This
makes the study of natural philosophy so pleasant,
because the works of God are so excellent : what rare
workmanship is in the body of a man ! yea in the
body of every beast 1 which makes the anatomical
studies so delightful. AVhat excellencies in cvei^
plant we see ! in the beauty of flow^ers '. in the nature,
diversity and use of herbs ! in fruits, in roots* in mi-
nerals, and what not ! But especially, if we look to the
greater work ; if we consider the whole body of this
earth, and its creatures and inhabitants ; the ocean of
waters, with its motions aiid dimensions, the variation
of the seasons, and of the face of tlie earth ; the in-
tercourse of sprine^ and fall ; of summer and winter ;
what wonderful excellency do tliese ( cntain I Why,
then think of these things Mhich are but servants to
sinful man, are yet so full of mysterious worth ; what
is that place where God himself doth dwell, prepared
for the just who are perfected with Chribt I

When thou walkest forth in the evening, look up-
on the stars, in Avhat number they bespangle the fir-
mument : if in the day time, look up to the glorious
sun ; view the wide expanded heavens, and say to
thyself) what glory is in the least of yonder stars i
What a vast, what a resplendent body hath yonder
moon, and every planet ! What an inconceivable
glory hath the sun ! Why, all this isjiolhiftg to the
glory of heaven. Yonder sun must there be laid aside
as useless ; for it would not be seen for the brightnefcs
•f God. I shall live above all yonder glory : yonder

The Saints^ Ever las t'nig Rest. Z5-7

su:i is hut darkness to the lustre of my Father's house ;
I shall be as glorious as that sun myself.

■ So think of the rest of the creatures. This ^vhole
earth is but my Father's footstool: this thunder is
nothing to his dreadful vdice ; these \vinds arc no-
thing to the breath of his mouth : so much wisdom
and power as appear in these ; so much, and far mort
greatness, and goodness, and deli?;ht, shall I enjoy in
the actual fruition of God. Surely, if tlic rain which
rains, and the sun which shines on the jast and unjust,
be so wonderful ; the sun then which must shine on
none but saints and angels, must needs be wonderful
and ravishing in glory.

6. Compare the things which thou shalt enjoy
above, with the excellency of those admirable works
of Providence, which God doth exercise in the church,
and in the world. What glorious things hath the
Lord wrought ! And yet we shall see more glorious
than these. Would it not be an astonishing -ig"*, i'j
sec the CCS. s'lttnd as a Wvi.'I on the right hand, and on
the left, and the people' of Israel pass safely through,
and Pharaoh and his people swallowed up ? If we had
seen the rock to p ush forth streams, or manna or quails
rained dov/n from heaven, or the earth open and
swallow up the wicked ; v/ould not all these have been
wondrous glorious sights ? But we shall see far
greater things than these. And as our sights shall
be more wonderful, so also shall they be more sweet :
there sliall be no blood or Avrath intermingled ; we
shall not then cry out as David^ IVho shall stand before
tkis holy Lord God ? Would it not have been an asto-
nishing sight to have seen the sun stand still in the
firmament ? Vv'^hy, we shall see when there shall be
no sun to shine at all ; we shall behold for ever a sun
of more incomparable brightness. Were it not a brave
life, if v>e might still live among wonders and miracles.

SSB Tfie Saints' EverlG^ting Rest.

and all for us, and not against us ? If we could have,
drought or rain at our prayers, as Elias ; or if we
could call down fire from heaven, to destroy our tnd-
mies ; or raise the dead to life as EJisha ; or cure the
diseased, and speak strange languages, as the apos-
tles ; alas, these are nothing to the wonders -which we
shall see and possess -with God, and all those woxv-
ders ©f goodness and love ! "We shall possess that
pearl and powi^r itself, throUf,h whose yirlue all these
works were done : wc shall ourselves be the subjects
of more wonderful mercies than any of these. Jonas
was raised but from a three day's burial, from th«
belly of the whale in the deep ocean ; but we shall be
raised from many years rottenness and dust, and that
dust, exalted to a sun-like gJory> and that glory per-
petuated to all eternity. What sayest thou ? Is not
this the greatest of miracles or wonders ? Surely, if
w^e observe but common providences, the motions q?.
the sun, the tides of the sea, and standing of the
earth, the vrarming it, the watering it with rain as a
gr.rilen, the keeping in order a wicked confused world,
with multitudes of the like ; they are ail Tcry adri^.ira-
ble, but then to think of the Sion of God, of the vision
of the divine Majesty, of (he comely order of the
heavenly host ; what an admirable sight must that
needs be ! O what rare and mighty woiks have we
seen ! what clear discoveries of an almighty arm 1
v/hat magnifying of weakness ! what casting down
of strength ? what wonders wrought by most impro-
bable means 1 what turning of tears and fears into
safety and joy ? such hearing of earnest prayers, as if
God could have denied us nothing ? All these are
wonderful works : but what are these to cur full deli-
verance ! to our final conquest ! to our eternal tri-
umph ! and to that great day of great things !

7. Compare also the mercies which thou shalt have
above, with those particular providences which ihcu

The Saints'* Everlasting Rest, C5*

hast enjoyed thyself. If thou be a christian iiideedj
thou hust, if not in thy book, yet certainly in thy
heart, many favours upon record ; the very remem-
brance and rehearsal of them is sweet; liow much
more sweet was the actual enjoyment 1 But all these
are nothing to the mercies which are ;ibove. Look
over the excellent mercies of thy youth, the mercies
of thy riper years, the mercies of thy prosperity and
of thy adversity, the mercies of tliy several places and
relations : are they not excellent and innumerable ?
Canst not thou think on the several places thou hast
lived in, and remember that they have each had their
several mercies? The mercies of such a place, and
such a place ; and all of them very rich and engaging
mercies? O how sweet was it to thee, when God re-
solved thy last doubts ! when he overcame and silenc-
ed thy fears and unbelief I v/hen he prevented the in-
conveniencies of thy life, which thy own counsel
Woald have cast thee into I when he eased thy pains,
when he healed thy sickness, and raised thee up as
from the very grave ! Were not all these precious
mercies ? Alas, theie are but small things for thee ia
the eyes of God ; he intendeth thee far greater things
than these, even such at these are scarce a t»ste of.
It was a choice mercy that God hath so notably an-
swered thy prayers, and that thou hast been so •ft
and evidently a prcvailer with him : but O think, are all
tliesc so sweet and precious, that my life would have
been a perpetual misery without them ! Hath his pro-
vidence lifted me so high on earth, and his merciful
kindness made me great ? How sweet th«n will the
glory of his prekcnce be I And how high will his eter-
nal love exalt me ! And how p;reat shall I ba made in
communion with his greatness ! If my pilgrimage and
Warfare have such rasjrcics ; what shall I find in my
home, and in my triumph ? • f I have had so much in
this strange countty, at such a distance from him ;
what shall I have ia heaven, in his immediate prc^
sence.

360 The Saints^ Everlasting Rest,

8. Compare; the joy which thou shalt have in hea*
Ncn, with that which the saints of God have found
in the way to it, and in the foretastes of it : when
thou seest a heavenly man rejoice, think what it is
that so affects him. It is the property of fools to re-
joice in toys ; but the people of God are wiser, they
know what it is that mukes them glad. When did
God reveal himself to any of his saints, but the joy
©f their hearts was answerable to the revelation ?
When Moses had been tah.in^-. with God in the
mount, it made his visage so shining and clorious,
that the people could not endur.e to behold it ; but
he was fain to put a veil upon it ; n6 \\ondcr then if
the face of God must be veiled, till we come to that
state where we shall be capable of bel;( Idlng him,
when " the veil shall be taken away, and we all be-
holding him with open face shall be changed into the
same image from gloiy to glory.' Alas, what arc
the back parts Mhich Moses saw from the clefts of
the rock, to that open face which we shr.U behold
hereafter 1 Vv'hat is the revelation to John in Patmos,
to this revelation w hich we shall have in heaven ! How
short doth Paul's vision tome of tlie saints* vision
above with God ! How small a part of the glory
which v/e must see, was that which so transported
Peter in the mount I I confess tiiese were all extraor-
dinary foretaste rs ; but little to the full, beatific vision.
When David foresaw the resurrection of Christ and
of himself, how did it make him bi eak forth and say,
Thtrcfore my heart kvcs glad. aJiCl my gloj-y rcjoiccth,
myjiesfi also skall rest inho/^c. Think then, if the fore-
bight can raise such ravishing joy- what will the actual
possession do r How oft have we read and heard of the
dying saints, who when they liad t:carce strer.gth i.od
life to express them, have been as lull of joy as their
hearts could hold ? And when their bodies have been
under the extremities of their sickness, yea, lendy to
feel the pangs of death, hav« yet had so much of heaven

The Saints^ Everlasting Rest, -sei

vt»

in their spirits, that the joy hath far surpassed their
sorrows ( And if- a! spark of this tire be so glorious,
andthat in the midst of Ihe sea of adversity ; what
then is that sun of glory itself ?

9. Compare also the plory of the heavenly king-
dom, with the glory of the church on earth, ando
Christ in his state of humiliation ; and you may easily
conclude, if Christ standinc^ in the room of sinners,
was so wonderful in excellencies, what is Christ at
the Father's right hand ? And if the church, under
her sins and enemies, hath so much beauty ; she will
have much more at the marriage of the Lamb. How
wonderful was the Son of God in the form of a ser-
vant ! when he is born, the heavens must proclaim
him by miracles ; a new star must appear in the firma-
ment, and fetch men from remote parts of the world
to worship him in a manger ; the angels and heaven-
ly host must declare his nativity, and solemnize it
with praising and glorifying God : when he sets
upon his office, his whole life is a wonder : water
turned into wine, thousands fed with five loaves and
two fishes, the lepers cleansed, the sick healed, the
lame restored, the blind receive their sight, the dead
raised : if we had seen all this, should we not have
thought it wonderful I The most desperate diseases
cured with a touch, with a word ; the blind eyes with
a little clay and spittle ; the devils departing by le-
gions at command ; the winds and the seas obeying
his word : are not all these wonderful ? Think then,
how wonderful is his celestial glory ? If there be such
cutting down of boughs, and spreading of gari^.ents,
?.nd crying, hosanna, to one that comes into Jerusa-
lem riding on an ass ; what will there be when he
comes with his angels in his glory ? If they that hear
him preach the gospel of the kingdom, have their
hearts turned within them, that they turn and say,
JVtver ifian spake like this ?nan ; then sure they that
H h

365 The Saints* Everlasting Rest,

behold his majesty in his kingdom, will say. There
vafi never glory like this glory. If when his enemies
come to apprehend him, the word of his mouth doth
cast them all to the gromid ; if when he is dying;^ the
earth must tremble, the veil of the temple rend, the
8un in the firmament hide its face, and the dead bo-
dies of the saints arise : O what a day will it be,
when he will once more shake, not the earth only,
but the heavens also, and remove the things that are
ehaken ! when this sun shall be taken out of the fir-
mament, and be everlastingly darkened witli the
brightness of his glory ! when the dead must all rise
and stand before him ; and all shall acknowledge him
to be the Son of God., and every tongue confess him to
be Lord and King I If when he riseth again, the
grave and death have lost their power, and the angels
of heaven must roll away the stone, and astonish the
watchmen till they are as dead men, and send the tid-
ings to his dejected disciples ; if the bolted doors can-
not keep him out ; if the sea be as firm ground for
him to walk on ; if he can ascend to heaven in the
sight of his disciples, and send the angels to forbid
them gazing after him : O what power, and dominion,
and glory then is he now possessed of I and must vre
ever possess with him !

Yet think further, are his very servants enabled to
do such miracles when he is gone from them ? Can a
few poor fishermen, and tent-makers, cure the lame,
and blind and sick ? open prisons, destroy the diso-
bedient, and raise the dead ? O then what a world
will that be, where every one can do greater works
than these ! It were much to have the devils subject
to us : buL more to have our names written in the
book of life. If the very preaching of the gospel be
accompanied with such power, that it will pierce the
heal't, and discover its secrets, bringdown the proud,
and make the stony sinners tremble, if it can make

The Saint** Everhsthi^ Rest. 863

Tttcn burn their books, sell their lands, bnn?^; in the
pVicc, and lay it down at the preachers' feet if it
can make the spirit of princes stoop, and the kings
of the earth resign their crowns, and do their homage
to Jesus Christ ; if it can subdue kingdoms, and con-
vert thousands, and turn the world thus upside down ;
if the very mention of the judgment and life to come,
can make the judge on the bench to tremble ; what
then is the n:lory of the kingdom itself? What an ab-
solute dominion have Christ and his saints ? And if
they have this power and honour in the day of their
abasement, what will they have in their full advance*
ment ?

10. Compare the mercies thou shalt have abcve,
"with the mercies which Christ hath here bestowed on
thy soul ; and the glorious chane:e which thou sbalt
have at last, with the gracious change which the Spi-
rit has wrought on thy heart. Compare the comforts
of thy gloriiication, with the comforts of thy sancti-
fication. There is not the smallest grace in thee which
is genuine, but is of greater worth than the riches of
Xhfi Indies ; nor a hearty desire and p,Toan after Christ,
but is more to be valued than the kingdoms of the
world ; a renewed nature is the very image of God :
scripture calleth it, " Christ dwelling in us, and the
Spirit of God dwelling in us :" it is a beam from the
face of God hiinself ; it is the seed of God remain-
ing in us ; it is the only inherent beauty of the ra-
tional soul ; it enoblcth man above all nobility ; it
fittcth him to understand his Maker's pleasure, to do
his will, and to receive his glory : think then with
thyself, if ths gra'n of mustard-^'^eed be so precious,
what is the tree of life in the midst cf the fiaradific of
God? If a spark of life be so much, how glorious
then is the fountain and end of this life I If we are
even now said to be like God^ and to dear his imagC'^
and to be hohj as he is holu ; sure we shall then be mujeh
Uker God, when we are perfectly holy, and without

o(34 The Saints' Mvei'lastm^ Rest.

blemish. Is the desire of heaven so precious si thing !
v/hat then is the thinj^ itself? Is love so excellent I
what then is the beloved ? Is our joy in foreseeing
and believing so sweet ! vk^hat v/ill be the joy in the
full possession ? O the delight that a christian hath ia
the lively exercise of some of these affectioBs ! What
g-ood doth it to his very hearty when he can feelingly
say, he loves his Lord ! Yea, even those troubling^
passions of sorrow and fear, are yet dclig-htful, when
they are rightly exercised : how glad is a poor chris-
tian when he feeleth his heart melt, and when the
thoughts of sinful unkindness will dissolve it ! Even
this sorrow doth yield him matter of joy : O what
will it then b«, when we shall do nothing but know
God, and love, and rejoice, and praise, and all tkis
in the hig-hest perfection ! What a comfort is it to
my doubting soul, when I have a little assurance of
the sincerity of my graces I How much more will it
comfort me, to find that the Spirit hath safely con-
ducted aae, and left me in the arms of Jesus ! What
a change was it that the Spirit made upon my soul,
when he first turricd mc fram darkviess to Ught^ and
from the power of Satan unto God ! To be taken from
that horrid state of nature, wherein myself and my
actions were loathsome to God, and the sentence of
death wus passed upon me, and the AIniis;'hty took
me for his utter enemy ; and to be presently num-
bered among his saints, and called his friend, his ser-
varrt, his son, and the sentence revoked which was
f^-onc forth ; O wiiat a change was this I To be taken
ifrom that state wkerein I wns born, and had lived so
many years, and if 1 had so died I had been damned
for ever ; and to be justified from all these crimes,
and freed from all these plagues, and put into the ti-
tle of an heir of heaven, O what an astonishing change
was this ? How much greater will that glorious
chan:^e then be ! beyond expressien 1 beyond conceiv-
ing ! iHow oft, when I have thought of this change

The Saints'* Everlasting Fest, S(jj

In Ti\y re?^eneratlon, have I cried out, O blessed day !
and blessed be the Lord that ever I saw it ! How thert
shall I cry out in heaven, O blessed eternity ! and
blessed be the Lord that brought me to it ! Was the
mercy of my conversion so «xceedinp;ly great, that the
angels of Goddid rejoice to sec it? Sure then the mercy
of my salvation will be so great, that the same angels
"will congratulate my felicity. This grace is but a
spark that is raked up in the ashes ; it is covered with
flesh from the sight of the world ; but my everlasting
glory will not de under a biishel^ but upon a hill^ even
upon Sionf the mount of God,

CHAP. IX.

Hoiv to manage and watch over the Heart through the
whole Jl'ork.

THE last part of tliis directory, is, to guide you
in managing your hearts through this woik, and to
shew you wherein you had need to be exceeding-
watchful. I have shewed before, what must be done
with your hearts in your preparations to the work,
and in your setting upon it : I shall now shew it you,
in respect of the time of the performance. Our
chief work will here be, to discover to you tJhe dan-
ger, and thatv/ill direct you to the remedy. Let me
therefore acquaint you before-hand, that whenever you
set upon this heaveidy employment, you shall find
your own hearts your greatest hindercrs, and they will
prove false to you in one or all of these four degrees.
Firsts they will hold off, that you will hardly get them
to the work ; or else thev will betray you by their idle-
ness in the work, pretending to do it, when they do
it not ; or they will interrupt the work, by their fre-
H h 2

S66 The Saints^ Everlasting I^est,

quent excursions, and turning aside to every object ;
or they vill spoil the work by cutting it short, and
bs gone before you have done any good at it. There-
foie I forewarn you, as you value tJje invaluable" com-
fort of this work, faithfully resist these four danjer-
cus evils.

1 . Thou shalt find thy heart as backward to this, as
to any work in the world. O what excuses it will
make ! what evasions it will find out 1 and what de-
lays, when it is never so much convinced ! Either it
will qwestien, whether it be a duty or not ; or, if it
be so to others, yet whether it be so to thee ? It will
take up any thing like reason to plead a);ainst it ; or,
if thy heart have nothing ag-ainst the work, then it
will trifle away the time in delays, and promise this
day and the next, but still keep oft'; or lastly, if thou
wilt not be so bauied with excuses or delays, thy
heart will give thee a fiat denial, and oppose its ovm
unwillin;jness to thy reason ; thou shalt find it draw
back with all the strength it hath. I speak all this
of the heart so far as it is carnal ; for so far as it is
spiritual, it will judge this work the sweetest in th«
world.

But take up the authority which God hath givci
thee, command thy heart ; if it rebel, use violence
with it ; if thou be too weak, call in the Spirit of
Christ to thine assistance ; he is never backward to s»
good a work, nor will deny his help in so just a cause :
God will be ready to help thee, if thou be not unwil-
ling to help thyself. .Say unto him, " Lord, thou gav-
est my reason the command of my thoughts and af-
fections ; the authority I have received over them, is
from thee, and now beheld they refuse to obey thine
authority ; thou conimandcst me to set them to the
work of heavenly meditation, but they rebel and stub-
bornly refuse the (Juty j wilt thou not assist me t© ex-

The Sulnts' Everlasting Rest. 367

ccute that authority which thou hast i^lven mc ? O
send down thy Spirit and power, that I may enforce
thy commands, and cffcctudlly compel them to obey
thy win."

And thus doinp;^ thou shalt see thy heart will sub-
mit ; its resistance will be brought under ; and it»
backwardness will be turned to compHaRce.

2. When thou iiast got thy heart to th« work, be-
wdrs lest it delude thee by a loitering formality ; lest
it say, I go, and ko not ; lest it trifle out the time,
while it sheuld be effectually meditating. When
thou hast perhaps but an hour's time for meditation,
the time will he spent before thy heart v»-ill be seriouf.
This doing of duty, as if we did it not, doth undo
as many as the Hat omission of it. To rub out the
hour in a bare lazy thinking of heaven, is but to lose
that hour, and delude thyself. What is to be done in
this case ? Why, do here also as you do by a loitering
servant ; keep thine eye always upon thy heart ; look
not so mu€h to the time it spendeth in the duty, as to
the v/ork that is done : you can tell by his work, whe-
ther your servant hath been painful : ask, what affec-
tions have yet been acted ? How much am I yet got
nearer heaven ? Verily, many a man's heart must be
followed as clttse in this duty of meditation, as an ox
at the plough, that will go no lons^cr than you are call-
ing an^ sc«ur iQg ; if you cease driving but » moment,
the heart will stand still.

I would not have thee of the judgment of those who
think that while they are so backward, if is better le6
it alone : and that if mere love will not bring them
to the duty, the service is worse than the omission:
th«se men understand not, First ^ that this argument
would certainly cashier all spiritual obedience ; nor
4oXhey uudcrst^d well the corruptness of their ovrj

3 G 8 Th c Saints' Everla&ting Rest,

natures ; nor that x\v.t\v sinful undisposedness will not
suspend the communds of God ; noi'one sin excuse
another ; espcciuily tlicy little know the wuy of God
to excite their aiFcctions ; and tliat the love which
shouUl compel them, must itself be first compelled,
in the same sense as it is said to compel : love 1 know
is a most precious grace, and should have the chief
interest in all our duties ; but there are means ap-
pointed by God to procure this love : and shall I not
use those means, till 1 can use them from love ? that
"vrerc to ne- lect the means till I have the end. Must
I not seek to procure love, till I have it alrei^.dy ?. There
are means also for the increasing of love where it is
begun, and means for exciting it where it lieth dull ;
and must I not use these means till it is increased and
excited ? Fall upon the work, till thou art constrained
to love ; and then love will constrain thee to further
duty.

3. As thy heart will be loitering, so will it be di-
vertin:r. It will be turning aside like n careless ser-
vant, to talk with every one that passeth by : when
there should be nothing in thy mind, but the work in
hand ; it will be thinking of thy calling, or of thy
afflictions, or of every bird, or tree, or place thou
seest, Of of any impertinency, rather than of heaven.
The cure here is the same with that before: to use
watchfalness and violence with your own imagina-
tions, and as soon as they step out to chide them in.
Drive aw^y these birds of prey from thy sacrifice, and
strictly keep thy heart to the work thou art upon.

4. Lastly, Be sure alfeo to look to thy heart in this, .
that it cut not off the work before the time, and run
not away through weariness, before it Lave leave.
Thou shalt find it exceedingly prone to this. Thou
fnayest easily perceive it in other duties : if in secret
tkou set thyself to pray, is not thy heart urging thee

The Scunts" Ever lastin'T Rest, - o6S

t>

still to cut it short ? Dost thou not frequently find a
motion to have done ? Art thou not ready to be up,
as soon almost as thou art down on thy knees ? So it
will be also in thy contemplations of heaven ; at fast
as thou gettest up thine heart, it will be down a^ain ;
it will be weary of the work ; it will be mindinf
thee of other business to be done, and step thy hea-
venly walk, before thou art well warm. What is to
be done in this case also '". Why the same authority
aad resolution which brought it to the work, and ob-
served it in the work, must hold it to it, till the
werkbedonc. Stick to the M^ork till thy graces be
acted, thy affections raissd, and tliy soul refreshed
with the delights above ; or if thou canst not obtain
these ends at once, ply it the eloser the next time,
and let it not go till thou feel the blessing. * Blessed
is that servant, whom his Lord, when he coBaes, shall
find so doing.'

Thus I have directed you in the work of heavenly
contemplation, and led you into the path where you
may walk with God. But because 1 would bring it
down to the capacity of the meanest, and help their
memories who are apt to let slip the former particu-
lars, I shall here contractrfhe whole, and lay it before
you in a narrower compass. But still I wish thee to
remember, it is the practice of a duty that I am di-
recting thee in, and therefore if thou v/ilt not prac-
tise it, do not read it.

The sum is this, as thou mal'est conscience of
praying daily, so do then of meditation ; and mere es-
pecially on the joys of heaven. To this end, set apart
one hour or half hour every day, wherein thou maycst
lay aside all worldly thou:-;hts, and with all possible
seriousness and reverence, as if thou wert to speak
with God himself, or to have a sight of Christ, or
•f that blessed place \ so withdra>y thyself into some

570 The Saints' Everlasting Rest.

secret place, and s-t thyself wholly to the following'
work : if thou ctmst, take Isaac's time and place,
who ' went forth into tl^.e field in the cveliing to me-
ditate:' but if thou he a Servant or poor m?.n that can-
not have tliat leisure, tai.e tiie fittest time and place
that thou canst, though it be when thou art private
about thy labours.

When thou settest to the .Vv-^iv, look up toward
heaven, let thine ^e lead thee as near as it can ; re-
member that there is thine everlasting rest ; study its
excellency, study its reality, till thy unbeii*if be si-
lenced, and thy faith prevail : if thy jud^^mcnt be
not yet drawn to admiration, use those sensible helps
and advantages which Avere even now laid down.
Compare thy heavenly joys with the choicest on earth,
and so raise up from sense to faith ; if tliis mere con-
sideration prevail not, then plead the case with thy
heart; preach upon this text of heaven to thyself;
convince, inform, confute, insnuct, reprove, examine,
admonish, encourai^c, and comfort thy own r;ouI from
this celestial doctrine ; draw forth those several con-
siderations of thy rest, on which thy several affec-
tions may work, especially that affection or grace
which thou intendest to act^ If it be love vv'hich thou
wouldst act, shew it the loveliness of heaven, and how
suitable it is to thy condition : if it be desire, consider
thy absence from this lovely object : if it be hope,
consider the possibility and probability- of obtaining
it : if it he courag;e, consider tlie singular assistance
and encouragements which thou mayest receive from
God, the weakn^-ss of the enemy, and the necessity
of prevailing : if it be joy, consider its excellent, ra-
vishing glory, thy interest in it, and its certainty,
and the nearness of the time when thou mayest pos-
sess it. Ur:rc these considerations home to thy heart ;
whet them with all possible seriousness upon each af-
fection : if thy heart draw back, force it to the work ^

The Saints' Everlasting Rest, 5^1

«;>

if it loiter, spur it on ; if it step aside, command it
in again ; if it would slip away, and leave the work,
use thine authority : keep it close to the business, till
thou hast obtained thine end ; stir not away, if it may
be, till thy love flame, till thy joy ba raised, or till thy
desire or other graces be lively. Call in assistance
also from God, Biix ejaculations with thy soliloquies ;
till liaving seriously pleaded the case with thy heart,
and reverently pleaded the case with God, thou hast
pleaded thyself from a clod to a flame, from a forget-
ful sinner to a mindful lover : from a lover of the
world, to a thirster after God : from a fearful cow-
ard, to a resolved christian. Ir a word, what will not
be done one day, do it the next, till thoti hast plead-
ed thy heart from earth to heaven : from conversing
below, t© a walking with G«d ; and till thou canst lay
thy heart to rest, as in the bosom of Christ ; in this
Meditation of thy fwU and everlasting r«st.

CHAP. X.

„4n Examfile of this hearuenly Contcmfilation^ for the
Help of the Ujiskilfid,

REST ! How sweet a word is this to mine ears \
Methinks the sound eioth turn to substance, and hav-
ing entered at the ear, descended down to my very
heart ; methinks I feel it stir and work, and that
throup^b all my parts and powers, but with a various
work upon my various parts. ^To my wearied senses
andlangvid spirits it seems a quictini;, powerful opi-
ate : to my dulled powers, it is spirit and life ; to my
dark eyes, it is both eye-salve and a prospective ; to
my t^is^c. it is swcctne^s ; to mine ears, it is melody ;
to'my hands and feet, it is strcnc,th and nimblcness %

372 The Saints'^ Everlasting I? est,

jnethinks I feel it digest as it proceeds, and increase
my native heat and moisture, and laying as a reviving
cordial at my heart, from thence doth send forth
lively spirits, which beat throu;-;h all the pulses of my
soul. Rest ! not as the stont that rests on the earth,
nor as these clods of flesh shall rest in the C':ravc ; so
our beasts must rest ag well as we , nor is it the sa-
tisfying of ow fleshly lusts, nor such a rest as the
carnal world desircth : no, no ; we have another kind
of rest than these : rest we shall from our labours,
which were but the way and means to rest . but yet
that is the smallest part ; O blessed rest, where we
shall never rest day nor Right, crying, ' Holy, holy,
feoly. Lord God of Sabbaoth !' where we skall rest
from sin, but not from worship I frooi sufferings and
Borrow, bwt not frem solace ! O blessed day, when
I shall rest with God ! when I shall rest in the arms
and bosom of my Lord ! when I shall rest in know-
ing, loving, rejoicing, and praising ! when my per-
fect soul and body together, shall in these perfect
aetings perfectly enjoy the most perfect God ! whtn
God also, who is love itself, shall perfectly love nae !
and rejoice over me with j©y and singing, as I shall
rejoice in him ! How near is that most blessed joyful
day 1 it comes apace ; even ' he that comes will come,
and will not tarry :' though my Lord seem to delay
his coming, yet a little while and he will be here :
what arc a few hundred years when they are over?
How surely will his sign appear I and how suddenly
■will he seize upon the careless worlc I Even as the
lightning that shines from east to west in a momeBt.
He who is gone hence, will even so return : methinks
I hear the voice of his foregoers ! Methinks I see him
in the clouds, with the attendance of his angels in ma-
jesty and glory ! O poor secure sinners, what will you
now do ? where will you hide yourselves ? or what
fhall cover you ? Mountains are gone, the earth and
keavens that were, are passed away, the devouring
fire hath coMsumcd all, except yourselves, who must

The Saints^ Everlasting Rest* STS

be the fuel for ever : O that you could consume as
soon as the earth, and melt away as did the heavens I
Ah, these wishes are now but vain ; the Lamb him-
self would have been your friend, he would have loved
you, and ruled you, and now hare saved you ; but
you would not then, and now it is too late : never
cry. Lord, Lord : too late, too late, man : why dost
thou look about ? can any save thee ? Whither dost
thou run ? can any hide thee ? O wretch, that hast
brought thyself to this ! Now blessed are ye that have
believed and obeyed ; this is the end of your faith and
patience ; this is that for which ye prayed and waited,
do you now repent your sufferings and sorrows ? your
self-denying and holy walking ? are your tears of re-
pentance now bitter or sweet ? O see how the Judge
doth smile upon you '. there is love in his looks ; the
titles of redeemer, husband, head, are written in his
amiable face ; hark I doth he not call you ? he bids
you stand here on his right hand ; fear not, for there
he sets his sheep : O joyful sentence pronounced by his
mouth ! Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the
kingdo7n prepared for you from the foundation of the
world! See how your Saviour takes you by the hand :
the door is open ; the kingdom is his, and therefore
yours; there is your place before his throne : the Fa-
ther receiveth you as the spouse of his Son, he bids you
welcome to the crown of glory ; never so unworthy,
crowned you must be : this was the project of free
redeeming grace, the purpose of eternal love. Q
blessed grace ! O blessed love ! O the frame that my
soul shall then be in ! but I cannot express it, I cannot
cottctivti it!

This is that joy w hich was procured by sorrow ;
this is that crown which was procured by tlie cross ;
my Lord did weep, that now my tears might be
wiped away; he did bleed, that I might now rejoice ;
he was forsaken, thut I might not now be forsaken j
I i

,'7-t The Sands'^ Everlaatiiig Rest,

he did then die, that I mij^ht now live. This weep-
ing, wounded Lord, shall 1 behold ; this bleeding
Saviour shall I see, and live in him that died for me.
O free mercy that can exalt so vile a wretch I free to
me, thou,Q;h dear to Christ ! here must 1 live with all
these saints ! O comfortable meetinij of my old ac-
quaintance, with whom I prayed, and wept, and suf-
fered ; with whom 1 spa' e of this day and place 1 I
see the grave could not contain you, the sea and earth
must give up their dead ; the same love hath redeemed
and saved you also ; this is not liUeour cottages of
clay, our prisons, our earthly dwellings : this voice of
joy is not like our old complainings, our groans, our
sighs, our impatient moans ; nor this melodious praise
like our scorns and revilin;.^, nor like the oaths and
curses which we heard on earth : this body is not like
the body we had, nor this soul like the soul we had,
nor this life like the life that then \yt lived ; we have
changed our place, we have changed our state, our
clothes, our thoughts, our looks, our language : w&
have changed our company, for the greater part, and
the rest of our company is changed itself; before, we
were weak and despised, but now how glorious ! Where
are now our different judgments, our divided spirits ?
Kow we are all of one judgment, of one name, of one
heart, of one house, and of ©nc glory. O sweet re-
concilement! O happy union ! which makes us first
to be one with Christ, and then one with ourselves I
Now our differences shall bedashed in our teeth no
more, nor -the gospel rep-oached through our folly.
() my soul, thou shalt no more lament the sufferings
of the saints ; never more condole the church's ruins;
never bewail thy suffering friends, nor lie wailing
over their death beds, or their giaves ; thou shalt ne-
ver suffer thy old temptations from Satan, the world,
or thv own flesh ; thy body will no more be such a
l>urden to thee ; thy pains and sicknesses are all now
cm-ed thou shalt be troubled with weakness and Mca-

Ihe Saints* Everlasting Rest. Z*i5

riness no mere ; thy head is no^t now an aching head,
nor thy heart now an aching heart ; thy hunger and
thirst, and cold snd sleep, thy labour and s'udy arc
all gone. O what a mighty change is this I from the
dunghill to the throne ; from a body as vile as the car-
rion in the ditch, to a body as bright as the sun in the
firmament 1 from all my doubts and fears, to this pos-
session which hath put me out of doubt 1 from all mv
fearful thought of death, to thismostblessed joyful life !
O what a change is this l farewell sin and suffering for
ever noAv: welcome most holy, heavenly nature ;,vviraa
as it must be employed in beholding the face of (iod,
90 is it full of Ciod alone, delighted in nothin.u,- bwi:
him. O who can question the love which he doth so
sweetly taste 1 or doubt of that which with such joy ho
feeleth? Farewell repentance, confession and supplici,-
tion ; farewell hope and faith ; and welcome love, i.nd
joy, and praise. I shall now have my harvest witl--
out plowing or sowing; my wine v\ithout the la-
bour of the vintage ; my joy without a preacher or a
promise, even all from the face of God himself. What-
ever iTiixture is in the streams, there is nothing but
pure joy in the fountain. Here shall 1 be encircled
with eternity, and come forth no more ; he-re shall I
live, and ever live ; and praise my Lord, and ever,
ever pra'se him. My face will not wrinlsle, nor my
hair be gray ; but'^ this mortal hath put on immortalily,
and this'corruptible incorruption, and death is sv/allow-
ed up in victory: O death? where is thy sting i' O
grave I whereis thy victory ?" The date of my lease
will no more expire, nor sh.all I lose my joys through
fear of losing them. When millions of ages are past,
my glory is but beginning ; and when millions more are
past it is no nearer ending. Every day is all noontide,
every month is May or harvest, and every year is
there a jubilee, and every age is full manhood ; and all
this but one eternity. () blessed eternity ! the glory
»f my glory ! the perfection of my perfection !

376 JThe Saints^ JEverlasthiP- I? est

Ah drowsy, earthly, blockiBh heart, how coolly dost
thou .think of this revivingday ! Dost thou sleep when
thou thinkcst of eternal rest ? art thou hanginu: earth-
ward, when heaven is before thee ? Hadst tiiou rather
sit thee down in dung, than walk in the court of the
presence of God? Dost thou now remember thy world-
ly business ? Art thou thinking of thy delights ?
Wretched heart ! is it better to be here, than above
with God ? is the company better ? are the pleasure*
greater? come away, make no excuse, make no delay ?
God commands, and I command thee, come away ;
gird up thy loins ; ascend the mount, and look about
thee with seriousness and with faith. Look thou not
back upon the way of the wilderness, except it be
when thine eyes are dazzled with the glory, or when
thou wouldst compare the kingdom with thathowling
desert, that thou mayest more sensibly perceive the
mighty difference. Fix thine eye upon the sun itself
aad look not down to earth as long as thou art abl«
to behold it ; except it be to discern more easily the
brightness of the one by the darkness of the other.
Yonder is thy Father's glory : yonder must thou dwell
when thou leavest this earth ; yonder must thou re-
move, O my soul, when thoudepartest fromthisbo-
dy ; and when the power of thy Lord hath raised it
again, and joined thee to it, yonder must thou live
with God for ever. There is the glorious new Jtru-
salem^ the gatca of pearU the foundations of pearly tlie
streets and fmvcments of trannjiarent gold. Seest thou
the sun which lighteth all the world ? Why, it must
betaken down as useless there, or the glory of hea-
ven will darken it, and put it out : even thyself shall
be as bright as yonder shining sun ; " God will be the
sun, and Christ the light, and in his light, shalt thou
have light.

O wretched heart ! hath God made thee a promise
of rest, and wilt thou come short of it, and shut out

The Saints^ Everlasting Rest, 377

4'

thyself thront^h unbelief? Thine eyes may fail thee,
thy ears deceive thee, and all thy senses prove delusi-
ons, sooner than a promise of Ciod can dehide -tliee.
Thou mayestbe surer of that which is writlen in the
word, than if thou see it with thine eyes, or feel it -vvitU
thy hands. Art thou sure thou livest ? or sure that
this is the earth which thou standest on? Artthou sure
thine eyes see the sun? As sure is all this glory to the
saints, as sure shall I be higher than yonder stars, and
live forever in thy holy city, and joyfully sonnd forth
the praise of my Redeemer, if I be not shut out by
the evil heart of unbelief cauf-:i/ig' me defiart from the

And is this rest so sweet and so sure ? O then, what
means the careless worl(^ I Do they know what it is
they so neglect? Did they ever hear of it? or are they
yet asleep ? Do they know for certain that the crown
is before them, while they thus sit still, or follow trifles,
when they are hasting so fast to another world, and
their eternal happiness lies at stake r Were there left
one spark of reason, they would never sell their rest
for toil, their glory for worMly vanities. Ah. pooi'
men I that you would once consider what you hazard,
and then you would scorn these tempting baits. O
blessed forever be that love, that hath rescued me
fjf-omthis mad bewitching darivUess !

Draw nearer yet, O my soul ; bring forth thy
strongest love ; here is matter for it to work upon ; ()
see what beauty presents itself! Is it not exceeding
lovely ? Is not all the beaiity in the world contracted
here ? Is not all other beauty deformity to it ? Dost
thou need to be persuaded now to lave ? Here is a
feast for thine eyes ; a feast for all the powers of thv
soul ; dost thou need to be entreated to feed upon it ?
Canst thou love a little shining earth ! Canst thou
love a walking piece of clay ? And canst thou 1^,1
I i ::!

378 The Saints* Everlasting Rest,

love that God, that Christ, tliat glory, which is so
truly and unmeasiirably lovely ? Thou canst love thy
'friend because he loves thee : and is the love of friends
like the leve of Christ! Their weeping or bleeding
for thee doth not ease thee Ror stay the course of thy
tears or blood : but the tears and blood that fell from
thy Lord have all a sovereign, hea'ing virtue, and
are waters of life, and balsam to thy fainting sores.
O my soul? if love deserve, and should procuie love,
what incomprehensible love is here before thee ! Pour
out all the store of thy affcclions here : awd all is too
little. O that it were more 1 Let him be Srst served,
that served thee first: let him have the strength of thy
love, who parted with strength and life in love to
thee : if thou have any to spare when he hath his part,
let it be imparted then to standcrs by. See what a
sea of love is here before thee ; cast thyself into this
ocean of his love : fear not though it seem a furnace
of fire, and the hottest that was evtr kindled upon
earth, yet it is the fire of love and not of wrath : a
fire most effectual to extinguish fire ; never intended
to consume, but to glorify thee ; venture into it then
in thy believing meditations, and walk in these flames
with the Son of God : when thou art once in, thou
will be sorry to come forth again. O my soul 1 what
wantest thou here to provoke thy love ! Dost thou
love for excellency ! Why thou seest nothing below
,i)Ut baseness, except as they relate to thy enjoyments
above. Yonder is the Goshen, the region of light;
this is a land of palpable darkness. Yonder stars, that
shining moon, the radiant sun, are all but as the Ian-
thorns hanged out at thy Father's house to light thee
while thou walkest in the dark streets of the earth ;
but little dost thou know the giory that is within J
Dost thou love for suitableness? Why what person
more suitable than Christ ? his godhead, his manhood,
his fullness, his freeness, his w)Uingness,hiscor.stan-
ty ; do all proclaim him thy most suitable friend.

The Saints* Everlasting Rent, 379

What state more suitable to thy misery, than that of
mercy ? Or to tKy sinfuhiess and baseness, than that
of honour and pei fection ? What place more suitable
to thee than heaven ? Thou hast had a sufficient trial
of this world : dost thou find it agree ^vi(:il thy nature
or desires ? Are these common abominations, these
heavy sufferings, these unsatisfying vanities, suitable
to thee ? Or dost thou love for interest and near rela-
tion ? Where hast thou better interest than in heaven ?
or viv^re hast thou nearer relation than there ? Dost
thou love for acqiiainr^nce and familiarity ? Why
though thine eyes have never seen the Lord, yet he
is never the further from thee. If thy son were blind,
yet he would love ihee his father though he never
saw thee. Tnou hast heard the voice of Christ to thy
very heart, thou hast received his benefits : thou hast
lived in his bosom, and art thou not yet acquainted
with him ? Ic is he that brought thee seasonably and
safely into the world : it is he that nursed thee in
thy tender infancy, and helped thte when tliou couldst
not help thyself: he taught thee to go, to speak, to
read, to understand : he taught thee to know thyself
and him : he opened thee that first window whereby
thou sawest into heaven : hast thou forgotten since
thy heart was careless, and he did quicken it, and
make it yield ? When it was at peace, and he did
trouble it ? And broken, till he did heal it again ?
Hast thou forgotten the time, nay, the many times
when he found thee in secret, all in tears : when he
heard thy sip hs and groans, and left all to come and
comfort thee ? When he came in upon thee, and took
thee up as it were in his arms, and asked thee, poor
soul what aileth thee ? Dost thou weep, when I lave
wept so much ? Be of good cheer : thy wou:ids are
saving and not deadly. It is I that have made them,
who mean thee no hurt : though I let out thy blood,
I will not let out thy life.

380 The Saintii* Everlasting Rest,

Methinks I yet remember his voice, and feel these
arms that took me up : how g'entle did he handle
me ! How careiully did he dress my wounds, and
bind them up 1 Methinks 1 hear him still sayinp^,
though thou hast dealt unkindly with me, yet will
not I do so by thee : though thou hast set light by
me and all my mercies ; yet both I and all are thine ;
what wouldst thou have, that I cannot give thee ?
and what dost thou want, tha^ I cannot give thee ? If
any .thing in heaven and earth will make thee happy,
it is all thine own: wouldsl thou have pardon ? iliou
shall have it. I freely forgive thee ail the debt :
wouldst thou have grace and peace ? thou shalt have
them both : wouldst thou have myself? behold I
am thine, thy friend, thy Lord, thy husband, and
thy head: wouldst thou have the Father? 1 will
bring thee to him ; and thou shalt have him in and
by me— These were my Lord's reviving words;
these were the melting, healing, quickening passages
cf love. After tli this, when 1 was doubtful of his
love, methinks I yet remember his convincing ar-
guments.— Have I done so much to testify my love,
and yet dost thou doubt 1 Have I made thy believing
it the condition of enjoying it, and yet dost thou
doubt? Have I offered thee myself so long^, and yet
dost thou question my willingness to be thine ? Jlhat
could I have clone viove than I have done? At what
dearer rate should I tell thee th .t I love thee! Read
the story of my bitter passion, wilt thou not believe
that it proceeded from love ? Did I ever give thee
cause to be so jc^alous of me ? or to think so hardly
pf me, as thou dost ? Have 1 made myself in the gos-
pel alion to thine enemies, and a lamb to thee; and
dost thou so over- look my lamb-like nature ? Have I
set mine arms and heart there open to thee, and. wilt
thou rot believe but they are shut? If I had been
willing to let thee perish, I could have done it at a
chenpcr rale ; what need I follow thee with so long

The Saints* Everlasting Rest. 381

patience, aftd entreating ? What dost tliOii tell me of
thy wants ; have I not enough for me and thee r and
why dost thou tell me of thy unwonhii^.ess, and thy
sin? 1 had not died, if man had not sinned: if thou
wert not a sinner, thou wert not for me ; if thou
wtrt worthy thyself, what shouldst thou do with my
worthiness ? Did I ever invite the worthy and righ-
teous ? or did I ever save or justify such ! or is there
any sueh on earth ? Hast thou nothing ? art thou lost,
and miserable ? art thou helpless and forlorn ? dost
thou believe that I am a sufficient Saviour ? and wouldst
thou have me ? why then take me. I.o, I am thine ;
if thou be willing, I am willing, and neither sin nor
d'jvils shall break the match.

These, O these were the blessed words which his
Spirit from his gospel spoke unto mc, till he made
me cast myself at his feet, yea, inio his arms, and
cry out, ^' My Saviour and my Lord, thou hast broke
my hcai't, thou hast revived my heart, thou hast over-
come, thou hast won my heart, take it, it is thine!
if such an heart can please thee, take it : if it cannot,
make it as thou would have it."

Thus, O my soul, mayst thcu remember the sweet
familiarity thou hast had with Christ ; therefore if
acquaintance will cause affection, O then knit thy
heart unto him ; it is he that hath stood by thy bed
of sickness, that hath cooled thy heats, and eased thy
pains, and refreshed thy weariness, and removed thy
fears ; he hath been always ready, when thou hast
earnestly sought him ; he hath given thee the meet-
ing in public and in private ; he hath been found of
thee in the congregation in thy house, in thy cham-
ber, in the field, in the way as thou wast walking,
in thy walking nights, in thy deepest dangers. Jf
bounty and compassion be an attractive of love, how
unmeasurably then I am bound to love him I All the

583 The Saints' Everlastiiig Rest,

mercies that have fi'ilicl up my life tell me this ; all Ovt
places that ever I did abide in, every condition oF life
that I have passt:d through, all my employments, and
all my relations, every ciiang;e ihat hath befallen mc,
all tell me, that the fountain is overflowing good-
ness.

Lord, what a sum of love am I indebted to thee,
and how doth my debt continually increase! How
should I love again for so much love! But what! shall
I dare to think of making the rec|u tal, ov of recom-
pensing all thy love with mine? Will my mite requite
ihec for thy golden mines ? or mine, which is nothing:,
or not mine, for thine which is infinite and thine owi^?
Shall 1 dare to contend in love with thee ? or set my
borrowed spark against the sun of love? Can I lore
as high, as deep, as broad, as long as love itself ; as
much as he that made me, and that made me live, that
gave Tiie all that little which 1 have ? Both the heart,
the fire, the fuel, and all were his: as I cannot
match thee in the works of thy power, nor make, nor
preserve, nor guide the world ; so why should I think
any more of matching thee in . love ? no, Lord,!
yield, 1 am overcome ; O blessed conquest ! go on
victoriously, and still prevail^ and triumph in thy love ;
the captive of love shall proclaim thy victory, when
thou leadest me in triumph from earth to heaven, from
death to life, from the tribunal to the throne, myself,
and all that see it, sliall acknowelcdge that thou hast
prevailed, and all shall say. Behold how he loved
him ! — Yet let me love thee, in subjection to thy love
as thy redeemed captive, though I cannot reach thy
measure.

O my soul, begin it here ; be sick of love now,
that thou mayst be well with lore there ; Keep thyself
now in the love of God, and let neither life nor death,
nor any thing separate thee from it, and thou slalt be

The Saints* Everlasting Rest* 583

k-cpt in the fulness of love for ever ; for the Lord hath
prepared a city of love, a place for the communicating^
of love to his chosen, and those that love his name shall
dwell there.

Away then, O my drowsy soul, from this world's
imcomfbrtable darkness I The night of thy ignorance
and misery is past, the day of t^loi icus li:^ht is at hand:
this is the day-break betwixt them both : though thou
see not yetthe sun itself appear, methinks the twilight
of promise should revive thee. Come forth then, and
leave these earthly cells, and hear the Loid that bids
thee rejoice, and again rejoice ! Thou hast lain here
long enough in thy prison of flesh, where Satan hath
been thy .gaoler, where cares ha>e been thy irons ; and
fears thy scourge, and the bread and water of affliction
thy food : where sorrows have been thy lodging, and
acarnal, hard, unl)elieving heart the iron gates and
bars that have kept thee in, that thou couldst scarce
have leave to look through the lattices, and see one
glimpse of the immortal light : the angel of the cove-
nant now calls thee, and strikes thee, and bids thee
arise and follow him : up, O my soul, and cheer-
fully obey, and thy bolts and bars shall all fly open ;
do thou obey, and all will obey ; follow the Lamb
which way soevef he leads thee : art thou afraid, be-
cause thou knowest not whitlier ? Can the place be
worse than where thou art ? Shouldst thou fear to fol-
low such a guide ? Can the sun lead thee to a state of
darkness?Or can hemislcad theethat^is the lightthat
lighteth every man that conieth into the world ? Will
h€ lead thee to death, who died to save thee from it ?
Or can he do thee any hurt, who for thy sake did suf-
fer so much ? Follow him and he will shew thee the
paradise of God, he will give thee a sight of the new
Jerusalem, he will give thee a taste of the tree of life :
thy winter is pastj and wilt thou house thyself still m

334" The Saints* Everlasting ResU

•arthly thoughts ; and confine thyself to drooping and
dullness.

Come torch, O my drooping soul, and lay aside thy
"srinter mourninj^ robes ; let it be seen in thy believ-
ing joys and praise, that the day is appearing, and the
spring is come ; and as now thou seest thy comforts
green, thou shall shortly see them white and ripe for
harvest ; and then thou who art now called forth to
see and taste, shall be called forth to reap and gather^
and take possession. Shall I suspend and delay my
joys till then ? Should not the joys of the sprin,^ go
before the joys of the harvest ? Is the heir in no better
a state than the slave? My Lord hath taught me to re-
joic-: in the hope of his glory, and to see it through the
bars of a prison, and even v/hen I am persecuted for
righteousness sake, when I am reviled and all manner
of evil said against me for his sake, then he hath com-
manded me to rejoice and be exceeding glad because of
this my great rewardin heaven. How justly is an unbe-
lieving heart po .sfcssed by sorrow, & made a prey to cares
and fears when itself doth create them, and thrust a-
way its offered peace and joy I I know it is the plea-
sure of my bounteous Lord, that none of his family
should wantcomfort,nor live such a poor and miserable
life, nor look with such a famished dejected face. I
know he would have my joys exceed my sorrows ; and
as much as he delights in the humble and contrite, yet
doth he more delight in the soul as it dcligliteth in him.
Hath my Lord spread me a table in this wilderness and
furnished it with promises of everlasting glory, and set
before me angels' food, and broached for me the side
of his beloved Son, that I might have a better wine
than the blood of the grape? Doth he so imporUmately
invite me to sit down, and draw forth my faith, and
feed, and spare not ? Nay, h?th he furnished me to
that end with reason and faith, and a rejoicing dispo-
sition ? And yet is it possible that he should unwil-

The Saints* Everlasting Rest, 585

lin^ I should rejoice ? Never thifik it, O ir.y unbe-
lieving soul ; nor dare charge him "with thy uncom-
fortable heaviness, who offereth thee the foretastes of
the highest delight that hea\en can afibrd, and God
can bestow. Doth he not bid thee delight thyself in
the Lord ? and promise to give thee the desire of
thy heart ? Hath he not charged thee to rejoice
evermore ? Yea, to sing aloud, and shout for joy ?

Away you eares and feais ! away you importunate
sorrows 1 stay here below, whilst I go up and see my
rest. The way is strange to me but not to Christ. —
There was the eternal dwelling of his glorious deity :
and thither hath he also brouirht his glorified flesh. —
It was his work to purchase it ; it is his work to pre-
pare it, and to prepare me for it, and to bring me to
it. The eternal Ck)d of truth hath given me his pro-
mise, his seal, and his oath to assure me, that '• believ-
ing in Christ I shall not perish, but have everlasting
life :" thither shall ray soul be speedily removed, and
my body shortly follow. And can my tongue say
that I shall shortly and surely live with God, c\nd yet
my heart not leap within me ? Can I say it believing-
ly, and not rejoicingly ? Ah faith I how do I perceive
thy weakness '■ ah unbelief? if I had never known it
before, how sensibly do I now perceive thy malicious
tyranny ? but were it not for thee, what abundance
might I have ? The light of Heaven would shine in-
to my heart, and I might be as familiar there as I am
on earth.

Come away my soul then, stand not looking on
that grave, nor turning those bones, nor leading thy
lesson in the dust ; those lines will soon be wiped out :
but lift up thy head and look to heaven, and read thy
instructions in those fixed stars : or yet look higher
than those eyes can see, into that foundation which
standeth sure, and see thy name written in the book

Kk

.JJj6 T/'ie Saint6-^ Everlasting Rest*

fXVSii. What if an angel should come from hcavea
c i;d lell thee that tiiere is a mansion prepared for thee;
I hat it shall certainly be thine own, and thou shak
possess it for ever ; would not such a message mais.e
iht;e glad I and dust tliou make light of the infallible
v.ord of promises which were delivered by the b)pirit,
and by the Lord himself?

What delights have J found in my private studies,
especially when they have prospered to the increase
of knowledge ! Meihinks I could bid the world fare-
wel, and immure myself among my books, iind look
forth no more, (were it a lawful course) but shut the
door upon me, and among those divine souls employ
myself in sweet content, and pity the rich and great
ones that know not happiness. Sure then it is a high
delight indeed, which in the lap of eternity is en-
"oved.

J .

If the Queen of Sheba came from Ethiopia to hear
i!ie wisdom of Solomon, and see his glory ; O how
gladly should I pass from earth to heaven, to see the
glory cf that eternal majesty ; and to attain myself
iliat height of wisdom, in comparison of which the
most learned on earth are but fools and idiots ! If the
heaven of glass which the Persian emperor framed,
were so glorious a piece, and the heaven of silver
which the emperor Ferdioand sent to the great Turk,
because of their rare artificial representations and mo-
tions, what will the heaven of heavens be, which is
not formed by the art of man nor beautified like
ihese childish toys, but it is the matchless palace of
ihe great King, built by himself for the residence of
his glory, and the perpetual entertainment of Iris be-
loved saints !

I cannot here enjoy my parents, or my beloved
friends without some delight j what will it then be to

The Saints^ Everlasting Rest. Ssr

live in the perpetujil love of God ! For brethren here
to live together in unity, how gooil and pleasant ii
thing is it 1 To see a family live in love ; husbands,
wives, parents, children, servants, doing all in love to
one another 1 O ahen, what a blessed society will be
the family of heaven, and those peaceable inhabitanis
of the new Jerusalem 1 Where is no division, nor dis-
affection, nor strangeness, nor deceitful friend-hip;
never an angry thought or look, never an unkind e>.-
pressioH, but all one in Christ, who is one with the
Father, and live in tlie love of love himself.

Awake then, O my drowsy soul, and look above tl»i.=>
world of sorrow ! Hast thou borne the yoke of aflliciions
from thy youth, and so long felt the smarting rod. and
yet canst no better understand its meaning ? Is not
every stroke to drive thee hence ? and is not the voice
like that to Elijah, " What dost thou here ? up and a-
way." Dost thou forget that pure prediction of the
Lord, " In the world ye shall have trouble, but in me
ye shall have peace." The first thou hast found true,
by long experience ; and of the latter thou hast had a
small foretaste ; but the perfect peace is yet before,
which till it be enjoyed cannot be clearly understood.

Ah, my Lord, I feel thy meaning ; it is written in
my flesh ; it is engraven in my bones : my heart thou
aimest at : thy rod doth drive, thy silken cord of love
doth draw; and all to bring it to thyiself : can such a
heart be worth thy having ? Make it so, Lord, and
then it is thine: take it to thyself and then take me.
I can but reach it towards thee, and not unto thee ;
I am too low ; and it is too dull : this clod hath
life to stir, but not to raise : as the feeble child
to the tender mother, it lookelh up to thee, and
stretcheth out the hands, and fain would have thee
take it up. Indeed, Lord, my soul is in a strait,
an..! v/hat to choose I knov/ not, but thou knowett

388 The Saints* Everlasting Kest.

what to give : to depart and be tvith thee, is best, but
vet to be in the flesh seems needful. 'I hou knowest
I am not weary of thy work ; I am willing to slay
while thou wilt here employ me, and to dispatch the
work which ihou hast put in my hands; but I beseech
thee stay no longer when this is done ; and while I
must be here, let me be still amending and ascend-
ing : let me be still better, and take me at the best.
1 dare not be so impatient of living, as to importune
thee to cut off my time, and urge thee to snatch me
]i€nce : nor yet would I stay when my work is
done ; and remain under thy feet, while they arc in
ihy bosom : I am thy child as well as they ; Christ
is my head as well as theirs ; why is there then so
great a distance ? I acknowledge the equity of thy
ways; though we are all children yet I am the pro*
digal, and therefore meetcr in this remote country to
feed on liusks, while they are always v.'ith thee and
possess thy glory : but tliey were once in my condi-
tion, and 1 shaU shortly be in theirs : they were of
the lowest form, before they came to the highest ;
they suffered before they reigned ; they came out of
great tribulation, who are now standing before thy
throne : and shall not I be content to come to the
crown as they did ? and to drink of their cup before
I sit with them in the kingdom ? I am contented, O
my Lord, to stay thy time, and go thy way, so thou
■wilt exalt me also in thy season, and take me into thy
barn, when thou seest me ripe. Ta the mean-time I
may desire, though I am not to repine ; I may be-
lieve and wish, though not make sinful haste ; I am
content to wait, but not to lose thee : and when thou
seest me too contented with thine absence, quicken
then my dull desires, and blow up the dying spark of
love : and leave me not till I am able unfeignedly to
cry out, '' As the hart panteth after the brooks, and
the dry land thirsteth for water-streams, sothirstethmy
soul after thee, O God : when shall I come and appear-

Tlie Saints^ Everlasting Rest, 38^

before the living God?" What interest hath frrisemf-
ty world in me ? and what is there in it that may seem
so lovely, as to entice my desires and deiii>:ht IVom tiiee,
or to make me loth to come away ? Draw lorih my
soul to thyself by the secret power of ihy lovf, as tlic
sun-shine in the spring draws forth the ci»ealiires from
their winter cells ; meet it iialf way, and entice it
to thee, as the loadstone dolh the iron : dispel the'
clouds tliat hide from me thy love, or remove the
scales that hinder mine eyes from beholding thee : for
only the beams that stream from thy face, and t'nc
taste of thy salvation, can make a soul unfeijiincdly
say, '* Lord, now let thy servant deparc in peace."

Send forth thy convoy of Angels for my depari.ing
soul, and let them bring it among the perfect spirits
of the just, and let me follow my dear friends that
have died in Christ before ; and when my friends are
crying over my grave, let my heart be reposed witii
thee in rest, and when my corpse shall lie thete rot-
ting in the dark, let my soul he in the iriheritance o!
the saints in light. And O thou that numberest the
hairs of my head, number all th*^ days that my body
lies in the dust ; thou that writest all my members in
thy book, keep an account of all my scattered bones ;
and hasten, O Saviour, the time of my relurn ; send
forth thine angels, and let that dreadful, joyful trun.-
petsound; delay not, lest the living give up their
hopes ; delay not lest earth should grow like bei(,
and lest thy church by divisions be crumbled to dust ;
delay not, lest thine enemies get advantage of thy
flock, and lest pride and hypocrisy, and sensr.alily,
and unbelief, should prevail against thy little remnant,
and share among them thy whole inheritance, and
when thou com est thou find not faith on the earth ;
delay not, lest the grave should boast of victory, and
refuse to deiiver up thy due. O hasten that great re-
surrection day ! when thy command shall go forth,
K k 2

390 The Scunts^ EverlaUing Rt^,

and none shall disobey ; when tlie sea and earth shaU
yield up their hostages, and all that bleep in the grave
shall awake, and the dead in Christ shall first arise ;
r/hen the seed that thou so west corruptible shall come
forth incorruptible ; and graves that received but rot-
tenness, and retained but dust, shall return thee glori-
ous stars and suns : therefore dare I lay down my car-
case in the dust, entrusling it, not to the grave, but
to thee, and therefore my flesh shall rest in hope, till
thou raise it to the everlasting rest. Return, O Lord,
how long ! O let thy kingdom come I thy desolate
bride hath come ; for thy Spirit within her faith coine<,
who teacheth her thus to pray with groanings whiclv
cannot be expressed : the whole creation saith come^
waiting to be delivered from the bGnda,2:e of corrup-
tion into the gloomy liberty of the sons of God : thy-
self hath said, " Surely, I come, amen, even so come,
Lord Jesus."

THE CONCLUSION.

THUS, reader, I have given thee my best advice
for the retaining and maintaining an heavenly con-
versation. The manner is imperfect, and too much
my own ; but for the main matter, I received it from
God. From him I deliver it thee, and his charge
I lay before thee, that thou entertain and practise it.
If thou canst not do it fully, do it as thou canst ; only
be sure thou do it seriously and frequently. If thou
wilt believe a man that hath made some small trial
of it, thou shalt find it will m.ake tkee another
man, and elevate thy soul, and clear thy under-
standing, and leave a pleasant savour upon thy
heart ; so that thy own experience will make thee
confess, that one hour thus spent, will more effectually

The Saints* Everlasting Best. 3^i

revive thee than many in bare external duties ; and
a day in these contemplations will afford the truer
content, than all tlie glory and riches of the earth —
Be acquainted with this work, and thou wilt be ac-
quainted with God : thy joys will be spiritual and
lasting; thou wilt have comfort in life, and comfort
in death : whtn thou hast neither wcakh nor health,
nor the pleasures of this world, yet wilt thou have,
comfort : comfort without the presence or help of
any friend, wiiliout a minister, without a book, when
all means are denied thee, or taken from thee, yet
mayst thou have vigorous, real comfort. Thy gra-
ces will be active. and victorious ; and the daily joy
which is thus fetched from heaven, will be thy
strength : thou wilt be as one that standeth on the
top of an exceeding higii mountain ; he looks down
on the world as if it were quite below him ; how
small do the fields, and woods, and countries seem to
him ? cities and towns seem but little spots. Thus
despicably wdt thou iook on all things here below :
the greatest princes will seem but grasshoppers, and
the busy, contentious, covetous world, but as heaps of
ants. M:n s threatenings will be no terror to thee :
nor the honours of the world any strong enticement ;
temptations will be harmless as having lost their
strength ; and afflictions less grievous, as having lost
their sting ; and every mercy will be belter known
and relished.

Reader, it is (under God) in thy own choice now,
whether thou wilt live this blessed life or not ; and
whether all the pains which I have taken for thee,
shall prosper or be lost. If it be lost through thy la-
ziness < which God forbid) ihou wilt prove the greatest
loser thyself.

O man, what hast thou to mind, but God and hea-
ven ? art thou not almost out of the world alr«a-

392 The Saints' Everlasting I^6st.

dy ? dobt tbou not lock every day, Avlicnoiie disease
or other will let out thy toul ? doth not the bier stand
ready to c:\riy thee to the grave r and the worms wait
to feed upon thy face and heart ? what if thy piiisc
must beat a few strokes more ? and what if thou
hast a few more breaths to fetch, before thou breathe
thy last ? and what if thou hast a few more nig-hts
to sleep, before thou sleep in the dust? Alas, what
will this be, when it is gone ? and is it not almost
gone already ? Shortly thou wilt see thy glass run
out, and say thyself, my life is done ! my time is gone !
there is nothing now but heaven or hell : where then
should thy heart be now, but in heaven ? Didst thou
but know what a dreadful thing it is to have a doubt of
heaven when a man lies dying, it would rouse thee
up.

O what a life might men live, if they were but wil-
ling and diligent ! God would have our joys to be
far more than our sorrows ; yea, he w'ould have us to
have no sorrow, but what tendelh to joy : and not
more fhan our sins iuive made necessary for our good.
How much do those christians wrong God and them-
selves, that either make their thoughts of God the in-
let of their sorrows,, or let these offered joys lie by, as
neglected or forgoUcn ! Some there may be that say,
it is not worth so much time and trouble, to think of
the greatness of the joys above. But as these men
obey not the command of God, which requireth them
to have their affections on things above ; so do they
wilfully make their own lives miserable, by refusing
the delights that God hath set before them. And yet
if this were all, it were a smaller matter ; if it were
but loss of their comforts, I would not say much : but
see what abundance of otlier mischiefs follow the ab-
sence of these heavenly deligh.ts.

The Saints'* Everlasting Rest. 393

rirst^ It \rill damp, if not destroy, our very love
to God : so deeply as we apprehend his exceedinj:!;
love to us, and his purpose to make us elevnally happy,
so much will it raise our love : love to God and de-
lii^ht in him, are still conimict. They that conceive
of God as one that dcsireth their blood and damna-
tion, cannot heaitiiy love him.

SecondiWi It will make us have rare and unpleasing
thoughts of God ; for our thoughts will follow our
love and delij^ht. Did wc more delight in God than
in any thing belov/, our thoughts would as freely run
after him, as they now run from him.

Thirdly^ And it v.ill make men have as rare and \m-
pleasing speech of God ; for Avho will cue iov talking
of that which he hath no delight in? What makes
men still talking of woildliness or wickedness, but
these are more pleasant to tliem than God I

Fourthly^ ?.Ien will have no delight in the service of
God, when they have no delight in God, nor any
sweet thoughts of heaven, which is the end of their
services. No wonder if such chi istians complain, that
Ihey are still backv/ard to duty ; that they have no de-
light in prayer, in sacraments, or in scripture itself;
if thou could once delight in Ciod, thou wouldst ea-
sily delight in duty ; especially that which bi ini^eth
thee into the nearest converse with him ; but till then,
no wonder if thou be weary of all.

Fifthly^ This want of heavenly delight vrill leave
men under the power of every aRliclion ; they will
have nothing to comfort them, and ease them in their
sufferings, but the empty, ineffectual pleasures of the
flesh ; and when that is gone, where then is their de-
light ?

594 The Saints^ Everlasting Best,

S'xthly^ It will make them fearful and unwilling
to die : for who would go to a God, or a place that
he hath no delig-Iu in ? Or who would leave his plea-
sure here, except it were to go to a better r But if men
take delight in God whilst they live, they will not
tremble at the tidings of death.

If God would persuade you now to make con-
science of this duty, and help you in it by the bles-
sed infiuencc of his Spirit, you would not change
your lives with the greatest prince on earth. But I
am afraid, if I may judge of your hearts by the back-
wardness of my own, that it will prove a hard thing
to persuade you to the work. Pardon my jealousy ;
it is raised upon too many and sad experiments.
What say you ? Do you resolve on this heavenly
course or no? Will you let go all your sinful pleasures,
and daily seek these higher delights ? I pray thee,
reader, consider of it, and resolve on the work before
thou goest further. Let thy family perceive, let thy
neighbours perceive, let thy cons< ience perceive, yea,
let God perceive it, that thou art a man that hast
thy conversation in heaven. God hath now offered
to be thy daily delight ; thy neglect is thy refusal,
Take heed what thou dost ; refuse this, and refuse
all : thou must have heavenly delights, or none that
are lasting. God is willing thou shouldst daily walk
with him, and fetch in consolation from the everlas -
ing fountain : if thou be unwilling, bear the loss ;
and when thou liest dying, then seek for comfort
where thou canst. O how is the unseen God neglect-
ed, and the unseen glory forgotten I And all for want
oithdil faith ivh'ch is the /substance of th'ngs hoped for y
and the cindence of thing fi that are not seen.

But for you whose hearts God hath weaned from all
things here below, I hope you will fetch one walk
daily in the new lerusalem '» God is your love, and

The Saints* Everlasting Rest. 395

your desire ; and I know you would fain be more ac-
qviainted with your Saviour, and I know it is your
grief that your licarts arc not more nea»' him ; and
they that do no more passionately love and delight in
him. As ever you would enjoy your desires, try this
life of meditation on your everlasting rest.

O thou, the merciful Father of Sjiirits, the attractive
of love, and ocean of delights, draw up these drossy
hearts unto thyself, and keep them there till they are
spiritualized and refined, and second these thy servant's
weak endeavours, and persuade those that read these
lines, to the practice of this delightful, heavenly work.
O suffer not the soul of thy most unworthy servant to
be a stranger to those joys which he unfoldeth to thy
people, or to beselclomin that way which he hath mark-
ed out to others : but O keep me while I tarry on this
earth, in daily, serious breathings after thee, and in
a believing, affectionate walking with thee ; and Mhen
thou comest, O let me be found so doing, not hiding
my talent, nor serving my fiesh, nor yet asleep with
my lamp unfurnished, but waiting i;nd longing for my
Lord's return ; that those who shall read these di-
rections, may not reap only the fruit of my studies,
but the breathings of my active hope and love : that
if my heart were open to their view, they might there
read the same most deeply engraven with a beam
from the face of the Son of God ; and not find vanity
or lust, or pride within, where the words of life ap-
pear without ; that so these lines may not witness a-
gainst me ; but proceeding from the heart of the
writer, may be effectual through thy grace upon the
heart of the reader, and so be the savour of life to
both.

Glory be to God in the highest : on earth peace :

tfood'ivill toTJarde men.

THE END.

CONTENTS.
HAP. PART I. Pa«£.

I THIS Rest defined

II. U'hat this Rest pre-supposeih 13

III. What ihis Rest con»aineth 17

IV. 'I he four great Preparatives to our Rest 31

V. The Excellencies of our Rest 43

VI. The People of God described 70
The conclusion 83

PART ir.

I. The inconceivable Misery of the imgodly in the Loss

of this rest 84

II The aggravation of the loss of heaven to the ungodly 50

III. They shall lose all things comfortable as well as
heaven 104

IV. The greatness of the torments of the damned dis-
covered 111

V. The second use- Reprehending the general neglect

of this Rest, and exci ing to diligence in seeking it 124

VI. An exhortation to seriousness in seeking Rest 136

VII. The third use- Persuading all men to try their
titles to this Rest; and directing them how to try,
that they may know 159

VIII. Further causes of deubting among christians 172

IX. Containing directions to examination, and some
marks of trial 177

X. The reason of the Saints' afflictions here 182

XI. An exhortation to those that have got assurance
of this Rest, that they would do all they possibly
can to help others to it 192

XII- An advice to some more particularly to help others

to this Rest 227

PART III.

I. Reproving our expectations of Rest on earth 259

II. Motives to heavenly-mindedness 271

III. Containing some hindrances of heavenly mindedness 293

IV. Some general helps to heavenly-mindedness 305

V. A description of heavenly contemplation 315

VI. The .fittest time and place for this contemplation,
and the preparation of the heart unto it 524

VII. What affections must be acted, and by what consi-
derations, and objects, and in what order 335

VIII. Some advantages and helps for raising the soul by
meditation 350

IX. How to manage and watch over the heart through

the whole work 365

X. An example of this heavenly contemplaton, for the

help of the unskilful. 371

The conclusion. 390

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