THE SAINT'S EVERLASTING REST. "THERE REMAINETH THEREFORE A REST 'TO THE PEOPLE .OF GOD," Heb. iv. 9. CHAP. I. The Introduction to the Work, with some Account bf the Nature of the Saint's Rest. 1. The important design of the apostle in the text, to which the author earnestly bespeaks the attention of the reader. 2. The saint's rest defined, with a general plan of the work. § 3. What this rest presupposes. § 4. The author's humble sense of his inability fully to shew what this rest contains. § 5. It contains (1) A ceasing from means of grace; § 6. (2) A perfect freedom from all evils; § 7. (3) The highest degree of the saint's personal 'perfection, both in body and soul ; § 8 (4) The nearest enjoyment of God the chief good; § 9-14 (5) A sweet and constant action of all the powers of soul and body in this enjoyment of God; as, fir instance, bodily sense, knowledge, memory, love, joy, together with a mutual love and joy. § 15. The author's humble reflection on the defi- ciency of this account. S 1. IT was not only our interest in God, and actual enjoyment of him, which' was lost in Adam's fall, but all spiritual knowledge of him, and true dis- position towards such a felicity. When the Son of God comes with recovering grace, and discoveries of a spiritual and eternal happiness and glory, he finds not faith in man to believe it. As the poor man that would not- believe any one had such a sum as a hundred pounds, it was so far above what himself possessed; so men will hardly now believe there is such a happiness as once they had, much less as Christ
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