Chap. 3.] THE SAINTS' REST. 45 8. Still more, this rest will be absolutely perfect. We shall then have joy without sorrow, and rest without wea- riness. There is no mixture of corruption with our graces, nor of sufferingwith our comfort. There are none of those waves in that harbor, which now so toss us up and down. To-day we are well, to-morrow sick; to-day in esteem, to-morrow in disgrace ; to-daywe have friends, to-morrow none; nay, we have wine and vinegar in the same cup If revelations raise us to the third heaven, the messenger of Satan must presently buffet us, and the thorn in the flesh fetch us down. But there is none of this inconstancy in heaven. If perfect love casteth out fear, then perfect joy must needs cast out sorrow, and perfect happiness exclude all the relics of misery. We shall there rest from all the evil of sin and of suffering. Heaven excludes nothing more directly than sin, whether of nature or of conversation. " There shall in nowise enter any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abo- mination, or maketh a lie." What need Christ at all to have died, if heaven could have contained imperfect souls ? " For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." His blood and Spirit have not done all this, to leave us, after all, de- filed. " What communion hath light with darkness ? and what concord hath Christ with Belial ?" Christian, if thou be once in heaven, thou shalt sin no more. Is not this glad news to thee, who hast prayed and watched against it so long? I know, if it were offered to thy choice, thou wouldst rather choose to be freed from sin, than have all theworld. Thou shalt have thy desire. That hard heart, those vile thoughts, which accompanied thee to every duty, shall then be left behind for ever. Thy understanding shall never more be troubled with darkness. All dark Scrip- tures shall be made plain; all seeming contradictions re- conciled. The poorest Christian is presently there a more perfect divine than any here. O that happy day, when error shall vanish for ever ! when our understanding,shall be filled with God himself, whose light will leave no darkness in us! His face shall be the Scripture, where we shall read the truth. Many a godly man hath here, in his mistaken zeal, been a means to deceive and pervert his brethren, and, when he sees his own error, cannot again
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