The saints everlasting rest

And is this rest so sweet, and so sure? O then, what means the careless world! Do they know what it is they so neglect? Did they ever hear of it? or are they yet asleep? Do they know for certain that the crown is before them, while they thus si• still, or follow trifles, when they are hasting so fast to another world, and their eternal happiness lies at stake? Were there left one spark of reason, they would never sell their rest for toil, their glory for worldly vanities. Ah, poor men! that you would once consider what you hazard, and then you would scorn these tempting baits. O blessed for-ever be that love, that hath rescued me from this mad bewitching darkness!

Draw nearer yet, O my soul; bring forth thy strongest love; here is matter for it to work upon: O see what beauty presents itself! Is it not exceeding lovely? Is not all the beauty in the world contracted here? Is not all other beauty deformity to it? Dost thou need to be persuaded now to love? Here is a feast for thine eves: a feast for all the powers of thy soul: dost thou need to be entreated to feed upon it? Canst thou love a little shining earth? Canst thou love a walking piece of clay? And canst thou not ⟨p. 382⟩love that GOD, that Christ, that glory, which is so truly and unmeasurably lovely? Thou canst love thy friend because he loves thee: and is the love of friends like the love of Christ? Their weeping or bleeding for thee doth not ease thee nor stay the course of thy tears or blood: but the tears and blood that fell from thy LORD, have all a sovereign, healing virtue, and are waters of life, and balsam to thy fainting sores. O my soul! if love deserve, and should procure love, what incomprehensible love is here before thee! Pour out all the store of thy affections here: and all is too little. O that it were more! Let him be first served, that served thee first: let him have the strength of thy love, who parted with strength and life in love to thee: if thou hast any to spare when he hath his part, let it be imparted then to standers by. See what a sea of love is here before thee: east thyself into this ocean of his love: fear not though it seem a furnace of fire, and the hottest that was ever kindled upon earth, yet it is the sire of love and not of wrath; a fire most effectual to extinguish fire; never intended to consume, but to glorify thee: venture into it then in thy believing meditations, and walk in these flames with the Son of GOD: when thou art once in, thou wilt be sorry to come forth again. O my soul! what wantest thou here to provoke thy love? Dost thou love for excellency? Why thou seest nothing below but baseness, except as they relate to thy enjoyments above. Yonder is the Goshen, the region of light; this is a land of palpable darkness. Yonder stars, that shining moon, the radiant sum, are all but as the lanterns hanged out at thy Father's house to light thee while thou walkest in the dark streets of the earth: but little dost thou know the glory that is within! Dost thou love for suitableness? Why what person more suitable than Christ?