in heaven we shall no more feel duty to be a burden. We shall not, indeed, be relieved from the service of God; but we shall have strength equal to it. Here, even "the youths faint and are weary, and the young men utterly fall:" but there, "they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."

IX. The last jewel in our crown is, that it is an everlasting rest. This crowns the whole; without this, all else were comparatively little or nothing. The very thought of leaving it would embitter all our joys; and it would pierce us the more, because of the singular excellencies which we must forsake. It would be a hell in heaven to think of losing it; as it would be a kind of heaven in hell, had the damned but the hope of at last escaping. How can we take delight in any thing, when we remember how short that delight will be? How can it but spoil our pleasure, when we see it dying in our hands? How could I be happy, if I had not my eye fixed upon eternity? When methinks I foresee my dying hour, my friends waiting for my last gasp, and closing my eyes, saying, He is dead;-when methinks I see my coffin made, my grave prepared, and my friends there leaving me in the dust,-what is there on earth that can afford me pleasure? It utterly disgraces the greatest glory in my eyes, if you can but truly call it mortal. I can value nothing that shall have an end, except as it leads to that which hath no end; or as it comes from that love which hath neither beginning nor end. O happy souls in hell, should you but escape, O miserable saints in heaven, should you be dispossessed after millions of ages! This word Everlasting, contains the accomplished perfection of their torment, and of our glory. O that the careless sinner would but seriously study this word Everlasting! Methinks it would startle him out of his deepest sleep. O that the gracious soul would believingly study this word Everlasting! Methinks it would revive him in the deepest agony. And must 1, Lord, thus live forever? Then will I also ove

forever. Must my joys be immortal? And shal: not my thanks be also immortal? Surely, if I shall never lose my glory, I will never cease thy praise. "Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God. be honour and glory, forever and ever. Amen!"

CHAPTER IV.

THE CERTAINTY OF THE HEAVENLY REST.

HAVING thus described the Heavenly Rest, we shall now proceed to the confirmation of this truth, and though this may seem needless, in regard of its own clearness and certainty, yet in regard of our distance and infidelity, there is nothing more necessary.Though I have all along sufficiently confirmed what I have said by the testimony of Scripture, yet I will here briefly state a few distinct proofs of this important truth.

I. This rest is fore-ordained for the saints, and the saints are also fore-ordained for it. "Now," says the apostle," they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a city." The saints themselves are called, "vessels of mercy, before prepared unto glory." In Christ they have obtained the inheritance, "being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will." And we are elsewhere told, that "whom he did predestinate, them he also glorified." "He hath from the beginning chosen them to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth."

Now, though the intentions of the weak and unwise may be frustrated, yet "the thoughts of the Lord shall surely come to pass, and as he hath purposed, it shall stand." "The counsel of the Lord

standeth forever, and the thoughts of his heart to all generations." Who then can bereave us of that rest which God hath designed for us by his eternal purpose?

II. This rest is purchased, as well as purposed, for us. It was for this end that God gave his Son, and the Son gave his life. "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him might not perish, but have everlasting life." Accordingly, the apostle says, it is by the "blood of Jesus that we enter into the holiest of all;" and in the book of Revelation, the saints are represented as ascribing the glory of their salvation entirely to the death of Christ; "Thou art worthy," they sing, "for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests." Indeed, either Christ must lose his blood and sufferings, and never "see of the travail of his soul," but all his pains and expectation be forever frustrated, or else "there remaineth a rest to the people of God."

III. This rest is promised to us. Christ himself prays, and what he asks will be granted, "Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me, may be with me, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me; for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world." On this subject he tells his disciples to dismiss all their fears, "Fear not, little flock, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom," i. e. fear not all your enemies' rage; fear not all your own unworthiness; doubt not of the certainty of the gift; for it is grounded upon the good pleasure of your Father. And again he says, "I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me a kingdom; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom." In like manner the apostle James says, "Hearken, my beloved. brethren, hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom?"

IV. All the means of grace, all the workings of the

Spirit upon the soul, all the gracious exercises of the saints, are so many proofs, that "there remaineth a rest to the people of God." All these means and motions imply some end to which they tend, and no lower end than this rest can be imagined. God would never have commanded his people to repent and believe, to fast and pray, to knock and seek, to read and study, to confer and meditate, to strive and labour, to run and fight, and all this to no purpose. Nor would the Spirit of God impel them to this, and create in them a supernatural power, and enable them and excite them to a constant performance, were it not for this end to which it leads. Nor could the saints reasonably attempt such employments, nor undergo such heavy sufferings, were it not for this desirable end.

V. The saints have even on earth the beginnings, foretastes, earnests, and seals of this rest; and may not all this assure them of the full possession in heaven? The kingdom of heaven is within them. They have a beginning of that knowledge which Christ has said is eternal life. And do you think that God will give the beginning, where he never intends to give the end? Nay, God often gives his people such foresights and foretastes of this rest, that their spirits are even transported with it, and they could heartily wish they might be present there. Paul was taken up into the third heaven, and saw and heard things that were unutterable. And I doubt not but some poor Christians among us, who have little to boast of outward appearances, have often these foretastes in their souls. do you think that God will tantalize his people? Will he give them the first fruits, and not the harvest? Will he show them glory to set them longing for it, and then deny them the actual fruition? Will he lift them up so near this rest, and give them such rejoicings in the prospect of it, and yet never bestow it on them? Nay, doth he give them "the earnest of the inheritance," and "seal them with the holy Spirit of promise," and yet will he deny them the full possession? These absurdities may not be charged on an ordinary man, much less on the faithful and righteous God.

And

Lastly, The Scripture speaks of some who have already entered into this rest, as Enoch, Abraham, Lazarus, the thief who was crucified with Christ, and many others. Now, if there be a rest for these, surely there must be a rest for all believers.

But it is vain to heap up Scripture proofs, seeing it is the very end of the Scripture, to be a guide to us to this blessed state; to discover it to us, persuade us to seek it, and to point out the hindrances that would keep us from it. There is, in fact, no one that doubts the certainty of this promised glory, but those who doubt the truth of the Scripture, or else know not what it contains.

CHAPTER V.

THE PERSONS FOR WHOM THE HEAVENLY REST REMAINETH.

HAVING thus considered some of the evidences of this great truth, I shall now proceed to show you who the people of God are, for whom this blessed rest remaineth.

They are then only a part of lost mankind, whom God hath from eternity predestinated to this rest, for the glory of his mercy; whom Christ hath redeemed with an absolute intent of saving; whom the Holy Spirit renews by the power of his grace, and makes in some sort like himself, stamping his image on them, and making them holy as he is holy, and whom he will at length crown with glory, honour, and immortality in heaven.

I. They are chosen by God.

As it is no more excellent a creature than man that is to have this possession, so is it that man who once was lost. The heirs of this kingdom were taken, even from the tree of execution, and rescued by the