The saints everlasting rest

CHAP. V. The Excellencies of our Rest.

LET us see more immediately from the pure fountain of the scriptures, what further excellencies this rest affordeth. And the LORD hide us in the clefts of the rock, and cover us with the hands of indulgent grace, while we approach to take this view.

And first, it is a most singular honour of the saint's rest, to be called the purchased possession; that it is the fruit of the blood of the Son of GOD; yea, the chief fruit: yea, the end and perfection of all the fruits of that blood. Surely love is the most precious ingredient in the whole composition; and of all the flowers that grow in the garden of love, can there be brought one more sweet than this blood? Greater love than this there is not, to lay down the life of the lover. And to have this our Redeemer ever before our eyes, and the liveliest sense and freshest remembrance of that dying bleeding love still upon our souls; O how will it fill our souls with perpetual ravishments, to think that in the streams of this blood, we have swam through' the violence of the world, the snares of Satan, the seducements of the flesh, the curse of the law, the wrath of an offended GOD, the accusations of a guilty conscience, and the doubts and fears of an unbelieving heart, and are passed through all, and arrived safely at the breast of GOD! Now we are stupefied with vile and senseless hearts, that can hear all the story of this love, and read all the sufferings of love; and all with dullness, ⟨p. 45⟩and unaffectedness. He cries to us, Behold and see, is it nothing to you, O all ye that pass by? Is there any sorrow like unto my sorrow? And we will scarce hear or regard the voice; or turn aside to view the wounds of him who healed our wounds at so dear a rate. But oh! then our perfected souls will feel as well as hear, and with feeling apprehensions flame in love for love. Now we set his picture wounded and dying before our eyes, but can get it no nearer our hearts, than if we believed nothing of what we read. But then when the obstructions between the eye and the understanding are taken away, and the passage opened between the head and heart, surely our eyes will everlastingly affect our heart! And while we view with one eye our slain revived LORD, and with the other eye our lost recovered soul, these views will eternally pierce us, and warm our very souls. And those eyes through which folly hath so often stolen into our hearts, l in the love of our dearest LORD for-ever.