The Saints' Everlasting Rest - Richard Baxter

As for you, whose hearts God hath weaned from all things here below, I
hope you will value this heavenly life, and take one walk every day in the
New Jerusalem. God is your love and your desire; you would fain be more
acquainted with your Savior; and I know it is your grief that your hearts are
not nearer to him, and that they do not more feelingly love him and delight in
him. O try this life of meditation on your heavenly rest! Here is the mount on
which the fluctuating ark of your souls may rest. Let the world see, by your
heavenly lives, that religion is something more than opinions and disputes, or
a task of outward duties. If ever a Christian is like himself, and conformable
to his principles and profession, it is when he is most serious and lively in his
duty. As Moses, before he died, went up into Mount Nebo to take a survey of
the land of Canaan; so the Christian ascends the mount of contemplation, and
by faith surveys his rest. He looks upon the glorious mansions, and says,
"glorious things are" deservedly "spoken of thee, thou city of God!" He
hears, as it were, the melody of the heavenly choir, and says, "Happy is the
people that is in such a case; yea, happy is that people whose God is the
Lord!" He looks upon the glorified inhabitants, and says, "Happy art thou, O
Israel; who is like unto thee, O people, saved by the lord, who is the shield of
thy help and the sword of thine excellency!" When he looks upon the Lord
himself, who is their glory, he is ready, with the rest, to "fall down and
worship Him that liveth for ever and ever, and say, Holy, holy, holy, Lord
God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come! Thou art worthy, O Lord, to
receive glory, and honor, and power!" When he looks on the glorified Savior,
he is ready to say Amen to that "new song, Blessing, and honor, and glory,
and power be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the lamb, for
ever and ever. For thou was slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood,
out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us,
unto our God, kings and priests!: When he looks back on the wilderness of
this world, he blesses the believing, patient, despised saints; he pities the
ignorant, obstinate, miserable world; and for himself he says, as Peter, "It is
good to be here;" or, as Asaph, "It is good for me to draw near to God; for,
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