50 THE EXCELLENCIES OF journey, through no small dangers, is not home then seasonable? When we have had a long and perilous war, and received many a wound, would not a peace with victory be seasonable? Men live in a continual weariness, especially the saints, who are most weary of that which the world cannot feel. Some weary of a blind man ; some, of a hard heart ; some, of their daily doubts and fears ; some, of the want of spiritual joys ; and some, of the sense of God's wrath. And when a poor Christian hath desired, and prayed, and waited for deliverance many years, is it not then seasonable? We grudge that we do not find a Canaan in the wilder- ness ; or the songs of Sion in a strange land ; that we have not a harbour in the main ocean, nor our rest in the heat of the day, nor heaven before we leave the earth : and would not all this be very unseasonable? 9. (7) As this rest will be seasonable, so it will be suitable. The new nature of the saints doth suit their spirits to this rest.. Indeed their holiness is nothing else bùt a spark taken from this element, and by the Spirit of Christ kindled in their hearts ; the flame whereof, mindful of its own divine original, ever tends to the place from whence it comes. Temporal crowns and kingdoms could not make a rest for saints. As they were not redeemed with so low a price,(f) neither are they endued with so low a nature. As God will have from them a spiritual worship, suited to his own spiritual being, he will provide them a spiritual rest, suitable to their spiritual nature. The knowledge of God and his Christ, a delightful complacency in that mutual love, an everlasting rejoicing in the enjoyment of our God, with a perpetual singing of his high praises ; this is a heaven for a saint. Then we shall live in our own element. We are now as the fish in a vessel of water, only so much as will keep them alive : but what is that to the ocean ? We have a little air let into us, to afford us breathing : but what is that to the sweet and fresh gales upon Mount Sion ? We have a beam of the sun to lighten our darkness, and a warm ray to keep us from freezing : but then we shall live (f) 1 Peter i. 18.
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