42 THE EXCELLENCIES OF CHAPTER III, The Excellencies of the Saint's Rest. § 1. The excellencies of the Saint's Rest are enumerated. § . (1) It is the purchased possession. § 3, 4. (2) A free gift. 5. (3) Peculiar to the saints. § 6. (4) An association with saints and angels. § 7. (5) It derives its joys immediately from God himself. § 8. (6) It will be seasonable. § 9. (7) Suitable. § 10, 12. (8) Perfect, without sin and suffering. § 13. (9) And everlasting. § 14. The chapter concludes with a serious address to the reader. § 1. LET us draw a little nearer and see what fur- ther excellencies this rest affordeth. 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 ! This rest is excellent for being a purchased possession ; a free gift ;peculiar to saints ; an asso- ciation with saints and angels ; yet deriving its joys immediately from God ; and because it will be a sea. sonable, suitable, perfect, and eternal rest. § 2. (1) It is a most singular honour of the saint's rest, to be called the purchased, possession, (s) that is, the fruit of the blood of the Son of God ; yea, the chief fruit, the end and perfection of all the fruits and efficacy of that 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 livOiest sense and freshest remembrance of that dying bleeding love still upon our souls ! Flow will it fill our souls with perpetual joy, 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 flesh, the curse of the law, the wrath of an offended God, the accusations of a guilty conscience, and the vexing doubts and fears of an unbelieving heart, and (s) Ephes. i. 14.
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