The saints everlasting rest

CHAP. X. An Example of this heavenly Contemplation, for the Help of the Unskilful.

REST! How sweet a word is this to mine ears! Methinks the sound doth turn to substance, and having entered at the ear, descended down to my very heart; methinks I feel it stir and work, and that through all my parts and powers, but with a various work upon my various parts. To my wearied senses and languid spirits, it seems a quieting, powerful opiate; to my dulled powers, it is spirit and life; to my dark eyes, it is both eye-salve, and a prospective; to my taste, it is sweetness; to mine ears, it is melody; to my hands and feet, it is strength and nimbleness: ⟨p. 376⟩methinks I feel it digest as it proceeds, and increase my native heat and moisture, and lying as a reviving cordial of my heart, from thence doth send forth lively spirits, which beat through all the pulses of my soul. Rest! not as the stone that rests on the earth, nor as these clods of flesh shall rest in the grave; so our beasts must rest as well as we; nor is it the satisfying of our fleshly lusts, nor such a rest as the carnal world desireth: no, no; we have another kind of rest than these: rest we shall from our labours, which were but the way and means to rest: but yet that is the smallest part: O blessed rest, where we shall never rest day nor night, crying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth! where we shall rest from sin, but not from worship! from suffering and sorrow, but not from solace! O blessed day, when I shall rest with GOD! when I shall rest in the arms and bosom of my LORD! when I shall rest in knowing, loving, rejoicing, and praising! when my perfect soul and body together, shall in these perfect actings perfectly enjoy the most perfect GOD! when GOD also, who is love itself, shall perfectly love me! and rejoice over me with joy and singing, as I shall rejoice in him! How near is that most blessed joyful day? it comes apace; even he that comes will come, and will not tarry: though my LORD seem to delay his coming, yet a little while and he will be here: what is a few hundred years when they are over? How surely will his sign appear! and how suddenly will be seize upon the careless world! Even as the lightning that shines from east to west in a moment. He who is gone hence, will even so return: methinks I hear the voice of his foregoers! Methinks I see him in the clouds, with the attendance of his angels in majesty and glory! O poor scure sinners, what will you now do?