Is there a Rest, and such a Rest remaining for us? Why then are our thoughts no more upon it? why are not our hearts continually there? why dwell we not there, in constant contemplation? Sirs, Ask your hearts in good earnest, what is the cause of this neglect? are we reasonable in this? or, are we not? Hath the Eternal God provided us such a Glory, and promised to take us up, to dwell with himself? and is not this worth the thinking on? Should not the strongest desires of our hearts be after it? and the daily ⟨p. 599⟩delights of our souls be there? Do we believe this? and can we yet forget and neglect it? Whats the matter? will not God give us leave to approach this light? or will he not suffer our souls to taste and see? Why then, what means all his earnest invitations? why doth he so condemn our earthly-mindedness? and command us to set our affections above? Ah vile hearts! If God were against it, we were likelier to be for it. When he would have us to keep our station, then we are aspiring to be like God, and are ready to invade the Divine Prerogatives: But when he commands our hearts to Heaven, then they will not stir an inch; like our Predecessors, the sinful Israelites: When God would have them march for Canaan, then they mutiny, and will not stir; either they fear the Giants, or the walled Cities, or want necessaries, or something hinders them▪ but when God bids them not to go▪ then will they needs be presently marching, and fight they will, though it be to their overthrow. If the fore-thoughts of glory were forbidden fruit, perhaps we should be sooner drawn unto them; and we should itch (as the Bethshemites) to be looking into this Ark. Sure I am, where God hath forbidden us to place our thoughts, and our delights, thither it is eas•y enough to draw them. If he say (Love not the World, nor the things of the World) we dote upon it never the less. We have love enough, if the world require it; and thoughts enough to pursue our profits. How delightfully and unweariedly, can we think of vanity? and day after day employ our minds about the Creature? And have we no thoughts of this our Rest? How freely, and how frequently can we think of our pleasures, our friends, our labours, our flesh, our lusts, our common studies, or news? yea, our very miseries, our wrongs, our sufferings, and our seats? But where is the Christian, whose heart is on his Rest?
Is there a Rest, and such a Rest remaining for us? Why then are our thoughts no more upon it? why are not our hearts continually there? why dwell we not there, in constant contemplation? Sirs, Ask your hearts in good earnest, what is the cause of this neglect? are we reasonable in this? or, are we not? Hath the Eternal God provided us such a Glory, and promised to take us up, to dwell with himself? and is not this worth the thinking on? Should not the strongest desires of our hearts be after it? and the daily ⟨p. 599⟩delights of our souls be there? Do we beleeve this? and can we yet forget and neglect it? Whats the matter? will not God give us leave to approach this light? or will he not suffer our souls to tast and see? Why then, what means all his earnest invitations? why doth he so condemn our earthly-mindedness? and command us to set our affections above? Ah vile hearts! If God were against it, we were likelier to be for it. When he would have us to keep our station, then we are aspiring to be like God, and are ready to invade the Divine Prerogatives: But when he commands our hearts to Heaven, then they will not stir an inch; like our Predecessors, the sinful Israelites: When God would have them march for Canaan, then they mutiny, and will not stir; either they fear the Gyants, or the walled Cities, or want necessaries, or something hinders them▪ but when God bids them not to go▪ then will they needs be presently marching, and fight they will, though it be to their overthrow. If the fore-thoughts of glory were forbidden fruit, perhaps we should be sooner drawn unto them; and we should itch (as the Bethshemites) to be looking into this Ark. Sure I am, where God hath forbidden us to place our thoughts, and our delights, thither it is eas•y enough to draw them. If he say (Love not the World, nor the things of the World) we dote upon it never the less. We have love enough, if the world require it; and thoughts enough to pursue our profits. How delightfully and unweariedly, can we think of vanity? and day after day imploy our mindes about the Creature? And have we no thoughts of this our Rest? How freely, and how frequently can we think of our pleasures, our friends, our labors, our flesh, our lusts, our common studies, or news? yea, our very miseries, our wrongs, our sufferings, and our seats? But vvhere is the Christian, vvhose heart is on his Rest?
