troubles and losses: by the misfortunes, the unkindness, and the death of friends; by the malice of enemies : by slanderous reports; by tormenting fears; by a thousand evils, which continually assault us! But to all these, there will be an end in heaven. There will be a rest from all these labours. In that blessed seat of peace and happiness, there" will be no more sorrow, nor crying." Every tear shall be wiped away from every eye and the days of all mourning shall be ended.

In the third place, there will be rest from spiritual labours. We have seen that the Christian is here engaged, in a constant struggle with the devil, the world, and the flesh. Assaulted from without by temptation, and from within by corruption, he has no rest day nor night. The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and hourly. wages war in his heart while the effects of this spiritual conflict are frequently such, as to compel him with the Psalmist, to "go mourning all day long ;" and with the Apostle to cry out; "O, wretched man that i am ! who shall deliver me from the body of this death ?” But in heaven there will be an end to all these troubles, a rest from all these labours. There the warfare shall

In heaven, there will be

cease, the struggle shall end. no sin, no temptation. The devil will no longer be able to hurt the soul, by his horrid suggestions: for he will have no entrance thither. The world will no longer spread its alluring temptations; for there will be a new heaven and a new earth, in which will dwell righteousness. The flesh will no longer pollute, distress, and impede; for it will be destroyed for ever. Freed from all these enemies, and periectly renewed to the VOL. II. 12.

image of Christ the Christian will cease from his spir itual conflict, and will "find rest unto his soul."

But this is not It has a farther

From this view of the subject, we may form some notion of heavenly happiness. Great, without doubt, will be the happiness of resting from all these labours } these labours of body, mind, and soul. all, which the word rest here signifies. and a most important meaning. It gives to us a still clearer and more distinct idea of that glorious blessedness, which awaits the saints in light. It is used to describe that unspeakable delight, satisfaction, and enjoyment, which the soul will experience in seeing God face to face. Thus God is said to have rested on the seventh day. In six days, having completed the work of creation, on the seventh day He beheld it, with infinite complacency and delight. He saw that all was good, and was satisfied with this fresh display of his own glorious perfections. Thus will the soul rest satisfied in heaven with the sight which it will then obtain of God's glorious perfections. Even on earth, God is the only true rest for the soul.

And the soul which is

alive unto God, both knows and feels it to be so. In vain it seeks for rest in worldly things. They cannot satisfy it. They yield it no true delight. It may wander among them in search of happiness; but, like Noah's dove, it can find no rest, till it go back to the ark. It was under a feeling conviction of this truth, that David said, "Return unto thy rest, 0 my soul !"d

Return unto God, who only is thy rest, salvation; where only thou canst find

d Psalm, cxvi. 7,

the ark of thy

security and

'peace.' But if such be the delight with which the soul here rests in God, where its knowledge of him, at the best, is so little and imperfect, what will be its joy and bliss hereafter, when it shall rest in him, as its full and everlasting portion, and know him even as itself is known? See then the rest, which "remaineth for the people of God!" a glorious rest; a rest from all their labours; a rest in God, as their joy, their portion, their exceeding and eternal great reward. Will not such a rest abundantly repay us for all our labours? When we shall have once entered into it, shall we think that we have suffered too much, on the way to it? What, in that hour, will be our thoughts? Shall we say to ourselves, I have laboured in vain: I have toiled to no purpose; I bestowed more pains in coming to heaven, than I now find it to be worth?-Rath'er shall we not say? O, bliss unspeakable! O, Glory 'inconceivable! What were all the labours, which I endured in coming hither, compared with the rest, which I now feel? Do I wish that I had laboured less, that I had bestowed less pains in resisting and overcoming the enemies of my salvation? What! Though I then did sow in tears; yet now I reap in joy. Though I then did suffer affliction with the people of God; yet how light was that affliction, compared with the eternal weight of glory, which it has wrought out of me! I now, indeed, find, by a blessed experience, the truth of those words, which I so often heard in the days of my flesh; that my "labour has not 'been in vain in the Lord.” '

·

་་

Such are the Considerations which I proposed to explain and enforce. What is the practical Conclusion, which they press upon us? Seeing that such a Rest remains for the people of God; and that without labouring we can never enter into it, let us labour, my Brethren. Let us give all diligence, and take all heed, that we may enter into this Rest. Let us not, through negligence or sloth, through a willingness to gratify the flesh, or an unwillingness to bear the cross, come short of so great salvation. As good soldiers of Jesus Christ, let us fight manfully under his banner. "Laying aside every weight, and the sin which so easily besets us, let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus:" who himself entered into glory, but first he suffered. Though we may have much to endure in a religious course; yet let us not be discouraged. Let us look forward to the recompense of reward. Let us remember that there will be a glorious and everlasting Rest from all our labours. In due time we shall reap if we faint not.

But I fear there are some, who, notwithstanding the conclusion thus forcibly pressed on them, will stil choose the service of the world, and the work of sin. Alas! my Brethren, pride not yourselves on your wisdom, for you are making a most foolish, a most miserable choice. Sin is a hard master: and the world's service a laborious service. And what will your wages be? Everlasting shame, sorrow, and torment. To you there remains no rest. For you there will be no rest day nor night. As here you have no rest from sin so in hell you will have no rest from suffering.

Lay this truth to heart now,

before it is too late.

Break off you sins by repentance, while the Spirit is yet striving with you. Listen unto him, who has said, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

SERMON XI.

THE GOSPEL MESSAGE!

JUDGES III. 20.

I have a Message from God unto thee.

IF F we turn to the chapter from which these words are taken, we shall find, that they were spoken by Ehud; a man, whom God had raised up to be a deliverer to his people Israel; and they were addressed to Eglon, king of Moab, whom the Israelites had served for eighteen years. Long bad they groaned under his yoke; but at length they cried unto the Lord, and he heard their cry, and helped them. Ehud, acting under a divine commission, went to the king; and being admitted into his presence, addressed him in the words of the text, "I have a message from God unto thee." And what was the message? It was a message of wrath: a message, dreadful to him, to whom it was sent: a message, delivered not in word, but in deed; not with For no sooner did the the lips, but with the hand.