The Saints' Everlasting Rest

Yonder is the Goshen, the region of light, this is a Land of palpable darkness. Yonder twinkling Stars, that shining moon, the radiant Sun; are all but as the Lanterns hanged out at thy fathers house, to light thee while thou walkest in the dark streets of the earth: But little dost thou know (ah little indeed) the glory and blessed mirth that is within! Dost thou love for suitableness? why what person more suitable then Christ? his Godhead, his manhood, his fullness his freeness, his willingness, his constancy, do all proclaim him thy most suitable friend. What state more suitable to thy misery, then that of mercy? or to thy sinfulness and baseness, then that of honour and perfection? What place more suitable to thee then heaven? Thou hast had a sufficient trial of this world: Dost thou find it agree with 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 relation? Why where hast thou better interest then in heaven? or where hast thou nearer relation then there? Dost thou love for acquaintance and familiarity? Why though thine eyes have never seen thy Lord, yet he is never the further from thee: If thy son were blind; yet he would love thee his father, though he never saw thee; Thou 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? It is he that brought thee seasonably and safety into the world: It is he that nursed thee up in thy tender infancy, and helped thee when thou couldst not help thy self: He taught thee to go, to speak, to read, to understand: He taught thee to know thy self and him; he opened thee that first window whereby thou ⟨p. 799⟩sawest into heaven: Hast thou forgotten since thy heart was careless, and he did quicken it? and hard and stubborn, and he did soften it, and made it yield? when it was at peace, and he did trouble it? and whole, till he did break it? and broken, till he did heal it again? Hast thou forgotten the time▪ nay the many, very many times, when he found thee in secret all in tears; when he heard thy dolorous sighs 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 doth ail thee?

Yonder is the Goshen, the region of light, this is a Land of palpable darkness. Yonder twinkling Stars, that shining moon, the radiant Sun; are all but as the Lanthorns hanged out at thy fathers house, to light thee while thou walkest in the dark streets of the earth: But little dost thou know (ah little indeed) the glory and blessed mirth that is within! Dost thou love for suitableness? why what person more suitable then Christ? his Godhead, his manhood, his fulness his freeness, his willingness, his constancy, do all proclaime him thy most suitable friend. What state more suitable to thy misery, then that of mercy? or to thy sinfulness and baseness, then that of honor and perfection? What place more suitable to thee then heaven? Thou hast had a sufficient tryal of this world: Dost thou finde it agree with thy nature or desires? are these common abominations, these heavy sufferings, these unsatisfying vanities suitable to thee? or dost thou love for interest and neer relation? Why where hast thou better interest then in heaven? or where hast thou neerer relation then there? Dost thou love for acquaintance and familiarity? Why though thine eyes have never seen thy Lord, yet he is never the further from thee: If thy son were blinde; yet he would love thee his father, though he never saw thee; Thou hast heard the voice of Christ to thy very heart, thou hast received his benefits; thou hast lived in his bosome, and art thou not yet acquainted with him? It is he that brought thee seasonably and safety into the world: It is he that nursed thee up in thy tender infancy, and helped thee when thou couldst not help thy self: He taught thee to go, to speak, to read, to understand: He taught thee to know thy self and him; he opened thee that first window whereby thou