The Saints' Everlasting Rest - Richard Baxter

Jerusalem, walk about Sion, and go round about her; tell the towers thereof;
mark well her bulwarks; consider her palaces; that thou mayst tell it to" thy
soul. Has it not "the glory of God," and is not "her light like unto a stone
most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal?" See the "twelve
foundations of her walls, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the
Lamb. The walls of it are of jasper; and the city is pure gold, like unto clear
glass; and the foundations are garnished with all manner of precious stones;
and the twelve gates are twelve pearls, every several gate is of one pearl, and
the street of the city is pure gold, as it were transparent glass; there is no
temple in it, for the Lord Almighty, and the Lamb, are the temple of it. It
hath no need of the sun, neither of the moon in it, for the glory of God doth
lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof; and the nations of them which
are saved shall walk in the light of it. These sayings are faithful and true; and
the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angels," and his own Son, "to
show unto his servants the things which must shortly be done." Say now to
all this, "This is thy rest, O my soul! and this must be the place of thy
everlasting habitation." Let all the sons of "Sion rejoice; let the daughters of
Jerusalem be glad; for great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city
of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of
the whole earth, is Mount Sion. God is known in her palaces for a refuge."
Yet proceed on; the soul that loves, ascends frequently, and runs
familiarly through the streets of the heavenly Jerusalem, visiting the
patriarchs and prophets, saluting the apostles, and admiring the armies of
martyrs; so do thou lead on thy heart as from street to street; bring it into the
palace of the Great King; lead it, as it were, from chamber to chamber. Say
to it, "Here must I lodge; here must I live; here must I praise, here must I
love, and be beloved. I must shortly be one of this heavenly choir, and be
better skilled in the music. Among this blessed company must I take up my
place; my voice must join to make up the melody. My tears will then be
wiped away; my groans be turned to another tune; my cottage of clay be
changed to this palace; my prison rags to these splendid robes; and my sordid
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