“There is also an acquiescence of the heart in Him.”
“Return unto thy rest, O my soul.” ~ Psalms 116:7
“But this is not felt till love has obtained, till the soul feels itself to love, and to have what it loves; to love and to be loved; to accept and to be accepted by God. When it comes to this, then we have enough.”
“I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine.” ~ Song of Solomon 6:3
“And here is the sweetness of religion, the marrow and fatness of godliness, the pleasure of love. When I love, I can rest; when I can rest, I can rejoice; when I feel myself to love, I know I am beloved. And what is then wanting? Where love is a stranger, joy is not known. We can never take comfort in anything but in that which we love. What is a friend, a wife, a child, if we do not love them? What is society or communion where love has not first made a union? Can two walk together unless they are agreed? With little comfort, sure; they would be better pleased if they were parted asunder. It is love that is the pleasure of our lives. It is love that makes heaven sweet. There we shall have our fill of joy because there we have our fill of love. Heaven would not be heaven, God Himself could not be the joy if He were not the love of His saints.”
“And here is the sweetness of religion, the marrow and fatness of godliness, the pleasure of love. When I love, I can rest; when I can rest, I can rejoice; when I feel myself to love, I know I am beloved. And what is then wanting? Where love is a stranger, joy is not known. We can never take comfort in anything but in that which we love. What is a friend, a wife, a child, if we do not love them? What is society or communion where love has not first made a union? Can two walk together unless they are agreed? With little comfort, sure; they would be better pleased if they were parted asunder. It is love that is the pleasure of our lives. It is love that makes heaven sweet. There we shall have our fill of joy because there we have our fill of love. Heaven would not be heaven, God Himself could not be the joy if He were not the love of His saints.”
“There are no feasts but love feasts. Love is both the best dish, and the only sauce for every dish. It is the best dish, and he who feeds on divine love will never complain of a short meal. And love is the sauce for every dish; it is but unsavory meat that is not seasoned with love. Be the meat ever so excellent, it will not relish if it is not loved. Love will make anything relish. Get love for Christ, love for religion, and you will never demand, “Where is the blessedness? Where is the sweetness?”
Alleine, Richard. Heaven Opened The Riches of God's Covenant. Morgan, PA: Soli Deo Gloria, 2000. 163-164. Print.
