Now ' rest' holds out two things unto us : A freedom from what is opposite thereunto, wherein those that are at rest have been exercised, in reference whereunto they are said to be at rest ; and something which suits them, and satisfies their nature in the condition wherein they are ; and therefore they are at rest, which they could not be, were it not so with them ; for nothing can rest, but in the full fruition and enjoyment of that which satiates the whole nature of it in all its extent and capacity. We must briefly inquire,
(1.) What it is that the saints are at rest from: and
(2.) What it is that they are at rest in. Which I shall do very speedily.
(1.) The many particulars which they are at rest from may be referred unto two general heads : [1.] Sin; [2.] La- bour and travail.
DiSMISSlOxV TO REST. 471
[L] Sin; this, on all consideration whatever, is the main disquietness of the soul ; temptations to it, actings in it, troubles for it, they are the very Egypt of the soul, its house and place of bondage and vexation ; either the power of it indwelling, or the guilt of it pressing, are here still disquieting the soul. For the first, how doth Paul com- plain, lament, yea cry out concerning it ; Rom. vii. 24. * O wretched man that I am !' and what a sad, restless, and tu- multuating condition upon this account doth he describe in the verses foregoing ? The best, the wisest, the holiest of the saints on this account, are in a restless condition. Suppose a man a conqueror in every battle, in every combat that he is engaged in, yet whilst he hath any fighting, though he be never foiled, yet he hath not peace. Though the saints should have success in every engagement against sin, yet because it will still be rebelling, still be fighting, it will disturb their peace. So also doth the guilt of it; our Saviour testifieth, that a sense of it will make a man to be * weary and heavy laden ;' Matt. xi. 28. This oftentimes makes the inhabitants oi" Zion say they are sick ; for though an end be made of sin as to the guilt of it in the blood of Christ, yet by reason of our darkness, folly, and unbelief, and the hiding of the countenance of God, the conscience is oftentimes pressed with it, no less than if it lay indeed under the whole weight and burden of it.
I shall not instance in more particulars concerning this cause of want of rest, and disquietness; the perplexity of temptations, buffetings, and winnowings of Satan, allure- ments and affrightments of the world, darkness and sorrows of unbelief, and the like, do all set in against us upon this account.
This in general is the first thing that the dismissed saints are at rest from : they sin no more, they wound the Lord Jesus no more, they trouble their own souls no more, they grieve the Spirit no more, they dishonour the gospel no more, they are troubled no more with Satan's temptations without, no more with their own corruption within, but lie down in a constant enjoyment of one everlasting victory over sin, with all its attendants : saith the Spirit, ' They rest from their labours ;' Rev. xiv. those labours which make them faint and weary, their contending with sin to the utter-
472 THE LABOURING SAINTS
most ; they are no more cold in communion, they have not one thought that wanders off from God to eternity : they lose him no more, but always lie down in his bosom without the least possibility of disturbance. Even the very remem- brance of sin is sweet unto them, when they see God in- finitely exalted, and admired in the pardon thereof. They are free from trouble, and that both as to doing, and suffer- ing : few of the saints but are called out in one kind or another to both these. Every one is either doing for God, or suffering for God, some both do and suffer great things for him : in either of them there is pain, weariness, travail, labour, trouble, sorrow, and anxiety of spirit ; neither is there any eminent doing or working for God, but is carried on with much suffering to the outward man.
What a life of labour and trouble did our deceased friend lead for many years in the flesh ? how were his days consumed in travail ? God calling him to his foot, and exercising him to understand the sweetness of that promise, that they that die in him, shall have rest : many spend their days deliciously, with so much contentment to the flesh, that it is impossible they should have any foretaste and sweet relish of their rest that is to come.
The apostle tells us that there remains a rest for the people of God ; and yet withal, that they who believe are entered into that rest; those who in their labours, in their travails do take in the sweetness of that promise of rest, do even in their labour make an entrance thereinto.
[2.] They rest from all trouble and anxiety that attend them in their pilgrimage, either in doing or suffering for God. Heb. iv. 10. ' They enter into rest, and cease from their work ;' God wipes all tears from their eyes, there is no more watching, no more fasting, no more wrestling, no more fighting, no more blood, no more sorrow, the ransomed of the Lord do return with everlasting joy on their heads, and sorrow and sighing fly away. There tyrants pretend no more title to their kingdom ; rebels lie not in wait for their blood ; they are no more awakened by the sound of the trumpet, nor the noise of the instruments of death : they fear not for their relations, they weep not for their friends, the Lamb is their temple, and God is all in all unto them. Yet,