The Saints' Everlasting Rest

Fourthly,⁴ All the means of Grace, and all the workings of the Spirit upon the soul, and all the gracious actions of the Saints, are so many evident Mediums to prove, that there remaineth a Rest to the people of God. If it be an undeniable maxim, that God and nature do nothing in vain; then is it as true of God and his Grace. All these means and motions, imply some End to which they tend, or else they cannot be called means, nor are they the motions of Wisdom or Reason. And no lower End then this [Rest] can be imagined. God would never have commanded his people to repent and believe, to fast and pray, to knock and seek, and that continually, 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 work 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 whereto it leads us. Nor could the Saints reasonably attempt such employments, nor yet undergo so heavy sufferings, were it not for this desirable end. But whatsoever the folly of man might do, certainly Divine Wisdom cannot be guilty of setting awork such fruitless motions. Therefore wherever I read of duty required, whenever I find the Grace bestowed, I take it as so many promises of Rest. The Spirit would never kindle in us such strong desires after Heaven, nor such a love to Jesus Christ, if we should not receive that which we desire and love. He that sets our feet in the way of Peace (Luke 1.79