[A soul ignorant of Christ, can have no rest ; but " by believing in Christ it has peace with God :" this is that rest which our Saviour promises to troubled souls '^.J
2. k future rest in heaven —
[The rest of the soul is never perfect in this life : tribu- lations are the way through which we are all to pass ; but in heaven our happiness will be complete : that therefore must be the rest in which our labours shall terminate"^.]
Of this rest God has left us a promise in his word —
[It is called his, because he has prepared it for us from the beginning : it is his also, inasmuch as it is the gift of his sovereign grace : it is his moreover, as enjoyed in and with him ; nor has he only revealed it as an object worthy our pur- suit, but promised it to every penitent and believing sinner®.]
It becomes us then to inquire,
II. What effect the promise of this rest should have upon us ? The news of any great and unexpected acquisition immediately produces strong emotions in our minds. The prospect therefore of present and eternal rest should surely excite much solicitude respecting it —
[We should endeavour to ascertain our title to it : we should fear lest by any means we be deprived of it ; nor should we account any thing too much to do in order to obtain it : our vigilance and zeal should be proportioned to its value.]
The danger of coming short of it should increase our dihgence in the pursuit of it —
[Of six hundred thousand that came out of Egypt, only two entered into Canaan : the others " could not enter in by reason of their unbelief." And how much unbelief is there in our hearts ! Yet, if we live under its power, we in vain hope for this rest: nor will the numbers of those, who are so cir- cumstanced, afford security to us, any more than it did to those who perished in the wilderness. Surely then we should " fear lest we perish after their example."]
The misery of coming short of it should also stimu- late our exertions —
[There is no intermediate state between heaven and hell ; nor will there be any other state of probation afforded us. They who rest not in Christ, can never know solid peace in
c Matt. xi. 28. '' Rev. xiv. 13. ^ Acts ii. 39.