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CHAP. I. |
| The introduction to the Work, with some account of the nature of the Saint's Rest. | |
The Apostle's design in the text, | 25 |
| The Saint's Rest defined, | 27 |
What this rest presupposes, | ibid |
What this rest contains, | 29 |
1. | A ceasing from means of grace, | 30 |
2. | A perfect freedom from all evils, | ibid |
3. | The saint's personal perfection in body and soul, | ibid |
4. | The nearest enjoyment of God the chief good, | 31 |
5. | All the powers of the body active in this enjoyment, | 34 |
And all the powers of the soul; as, knowledge, | 35 |
Memory, love, and joy, | 36-42 |
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CHAP. II. |
| The great Preparatives to the Saint's Rest. | |
The happiness of having a way into Paradise open, | 43 |
1. | The glorious appearing of Christ opens the way, | ibid |
2. | The general resurrection, | 46 |
3. | The last judgment, | 47 |
4. | The saint's coronation, | 50 |
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CHAP. III. |
| The Excellencies of the Saint's Rest. | |
1. | It is the purchased possession, | 53 |
2. | It is a free gift, | 54 |
3. | It is peculiar to saints, | 56 |
4. | It is an association with saints and angels, | 57 |
5. | It derives its joys immediately from God himself, | 58 |
6. | It will be seasonable, | 59 |
7. | It will be suitable, | 60 |
8. | It will be perfect, without sin or suffering, | 62 |
9. | It will be everlasting, | 68 |
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CHAP. IV. |
| The Character of the Persons for whom this Rest is designed. | |
'Tis wonderful it should be designed for mortals, | 71 |
1. | The people of God, who shall enjoy it, are chosen from eternity, | 72 |
2. | They are given to Christ, | ibid |
3. | They are born again, | ibid |
4. | They are deeply convinced of the evil of sin, | 73 |
| their misery by sin, the vanity of the creatures, | 74 |
| and the all-sufficiency of Christ, | 75 |
5. | Their will is proportionably changed, | 76 |
6. | They engage in covenant with Christ, | 77 |
7. | They persevere in their engagements, | 78 |
The reader is invited to self-examination, | ibid |
That the people of God shall enjoy this rest, and | 80 |
| none but they, is further proved by Scripture; | 82 |
| and that they shall not enjoy it till they come to another world, | 233 |
1. | Esteem heaven the only treasure and happiness; | ibid |
2. | Labor to know your interest in it, | 234 |
3. | And how near it is; | 235 |
4. | Frequently and seriously talk of it; | 236 |
5. | Strive in every duty to raise your heart nearer to it; | 237 |
6. | To the same purpose improve every object and event; | 238 |
7. | Be much in the angelical work of praise; | 239 |
8. | Maintain believing thoughts of God's infinite love. | 240 |
9. | Observe and cherish the motions of God's Spirit, | 241 |
10. | Take due care of your bodily health. | 242 |
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CHAP. XIII. |
| The nature of heavenly contemplation, with the time, place, and temper fittest for it. | |
The duty itself recommended to the reader, | 244 |
This duty defined and illustrated, | 246 |
The time fittest for this duty is—stated,—frequent, | 248 |
| and seasonable, every day, particularly Lord's | 250 |
| days; especially when in a devout temper, or an | 251 |
| afflicted state, or in the views of death, | 252 |
The place, fittest for this duty is the most retired, | 253 |
The temper fittest for this duty, is | 255 |
1. | When our minds are most clear of the world, | ibid |
2. | And most solemn and serious. | 256 |
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CHAP. XIV. |
| What use heavenly contemplation makes of consideration, affections, soliloquy, and prayer. | |
The reader is invited to heavenly contemplation, | 258 |
To that end consideration is recommended, | ibid |
Next, the exercise of the affections, particularly | 261 |
1. | Love, | 262 |
2. | Desire, | 265 |
3. | Hope, | 267 |
4. | Courage or boldness, | 268 |
5. | And joy, | 269 |
These affections need not always be exercised in this order, nor all at one time, | 273 |
Soliloquy and prayer are also useful in heavenly contemplation. | ibid |
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CHAP. XV. |
| Heavenly contemplation assisted by sensible objects, and guarded by a treacherous heart. | |
The difficulty of maintaining a lively impression of heavenly things, | 276 |
Sensible objects may assist heavenly contemplation; | 277 |
1. | If we draw strong suppositions from sense; | ibid |
2. | If objects of sense and faith are compared, | 278 |
To guard heavenly contemplation against a treacherous heart, consider, | |
1. | The heart's backwardness to this duty, | 289 |
2. | Its trifling in it, | 291 |
3. | Its wandering from it, THE SAINT'S EVERLASTING REST. Hebrews iv, 9. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
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