The Saints' Everlasting Rest

If the estate of the Devils, before their fall, were not much meaner then this, (and perhaps lower then some of their fellow Angels) surely their sin was most accursed and detestable. Could they yet aspire higher? And was there yet room for discontent? What is it then that would satisfy them? Indeed the distance that we sinners and mortals are at from our God, leaves us some excuse for discontent with our estate. The poor soul out of the depth cries, and cries aloud, as if his Father were out of hearing: sometime he chides the interposing clouds, sometime he is angry at the vast gulf that's set between, sometime he would fain have the veil of mortality drawn aside, and thinks death hath forgot his business; he ever quarrels with this Sin that separates, and longs till it be separated from his Soul, that it may separate God and him no more: Why, poor Christian, be of good cheer; the Time is Near, when God and thou shall be Near, and as Near as thou canst well desire: Thou shalt dwell in his family, is that enough? It's better to be a door-keeper in his house, then enjoy the portion of the wicked. Thou shalt ever stand before him, about his Throne, in the room with him, in his presence chamber. Wouldst thou yet be nearer? Thou shalt be his child, and he thy Father; thou shalt be an heir of his Kingdom; yea more, the Spouse of his Son; and what more canst thou desire? Thou shalt be a member of the body of his Son, he shall be thy Head; thou shalt be one with him, who is one with the Father. Read what he hath desired for thee of his Father; John 17.21, 22, 23. That they all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; and the Glory which thou gavest me, I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one; I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one, that the world may know, that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. What can you desire yet more? except you will (as some do) abuse Christs expression of oneness, to conceive of such a union as shall Deify us; Which were a sin one step beyond the aspiring Arrogancy of Adam, and, I think, beyond that of the Devils. A Real Conjunction (improperly called Union) we may expect.

If the estate of the Devils, before their fall, were not much meaner then this, (and perhaps lower then some of their fellow Angels) surely their sin was most accursed and detestable. Could they yet aspire higher? And was there yet room for discontent? What is it then that would satisfie them? Indeed the distance that we sinners and mortals are at from our God, leaves us some excuse for discontent with our estate. The poor soul out of the depth cries, and cries aloud, as if his Father were out of hearing: sometime he chides the interposing clouds, sometime he is angry at the vast gulf that's set between, sometime he would fain have the vail of mortality drawn aside, and thinks death hath forgot his business; he ever quarrels with this Sin that separates, and longs till it be separated from his Soul, that it may separate God and him no more: Why, poor Christian, be of good chear; the Time is Near, when God and thou shall be Near, and as Near as thou canst well desire: Thou shalt dwell in his family, is that enough? It's better to be a door-keeper in his house, then enjoy the portion of the wicked. Thou shalt ever stand before him, about his Throne, in the room with him, in his presence chamber. Wouldst thou yet be nearer? Thou shalt be his child, and he thy Father; thou shalt be an heir of his Kingdom; yea more, the Spouse of his Son; and what more canst thou desire? Thou shalt be a member of the body of his Son, he shall be thy Head; thou shalt be one with him, who is one with the Father. Read what he hath desired for thee of his Father;