Chap. 1.1 THE SAINTS/ REST. 17 Had he spoken th.: things of heaven in the language of heaven, and none understood that language, what the bet- ter ? The Lord reveal to me what I may reveal to you! The Lord open some light, and show both you and me our inheritance ! Not as to Balaam only, whose eyes were opened to see the goodliness of Jacob's tents, and Israel's tabernacles, where he had no portion, and fromwhence must come his own destruction ; not as to Moses, who had only a discovery instead of possession, and saw the land which he never entered ; but as the pearl was re- vealed to the merchant in the Gospel, who rested not till he had sold all he had, and bought it; and as heaven was opened to blessed Stephen, which he was shortly to enter, and the glory showed him which should be his own pos- session ! The things contained in heavenly rest are such as these : a ceasing frommeans of grace , a perfect free- dom from all evils ; the highest degree of the saints' per- sonal perfection, both of body and soul ; the nearest en- joyment of God, the chief good ;and a sweet and con- stant action of all the powers of body and soul in this en- joyment of God. 1. One thing contained in heavenly rest, is, the ceasing frommeans of grace. When we have obtained the haven, we have done sailing. When the workman receives his wages, it is implied he has done his work. When we are at ourjourney's end, we have done with the way. Whether prophecies, they shall fail ; whether tongues, they shall cease ; whether knowledge, it also, so far as it had thena- ture of means, shall vanish away. There shall be no more prayer, because no more necessity, but the full enjoyment of what we prayed for : neither shall we need to fast, and weep, and watch any more, being out of the reach of sin and temptations. Preaching is done; the ministry of man ceaseth; ordinances become useless; the laborers are called in, because the harvest is gathered, the tares burned, and the work finished; the unregenerate past hope, and the saints past fear, for ever. 2. There is in heavenly rest aperfectfreedomfromallevils; all the evils that accompanied us through our course, and which necessarily follow our absence from the chief good : besides our freedom from those eternal flames and restless miseries, which the neglecters of Christ and grace must fo..
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