IX.

contemplate the brightness of the meridian DISC. fun. "Why seek ye the living among the "dead?" Our Lord, our Redeemer, the object of all our hope, and all our delight, "is not « bere; he is rifen; he is gone up on high;" he is upon his throne; he "fitteth at the " right hand of God."

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The attitude denotes Reft; the place, Honour. And what can we wish for more than these?

The attitude, that of fitting, denotes Reft. Such it was to our bleffed Lord himfelf. His life on earth was a life of labour; he looked not for reft till his labours were at an end. His days were paffed in going about to do good among men ; his nights, in thinking of them, and praying for them: often indeed he " had not where to lay his "head." By taking our nature upon him, he fubmitted to it's inconveniences and troubles, it's forrows and it's pains: he laboured, and then he refted from his labours.

VOL. III.

In

DISC.

IX.

In time we shall do the fame: but the time is not yet. The fad effects and confequences of fin are ftill in the world, and lie heavy upon it. "The whole creation "groaneth and travaileth in pain together "until now;" and we groan and travail with it: we ourselves, though redeemed by Chrift, and favoured with his grace, that we may be enabled to fupport our miseries; we have, and upon earth ever shall have, miferies to fupport, and thofe miferies increafing, as we draw nearer to our diffolution. All things are full of labour and forrow, without us, and within us: without are the inceffant toils of life, the hurry and the buftle of the world; within are cares and fears: business fatigues mankind much; but when they have no bufinefs, they suffer more from their own thoughts. Their pursuits are often vanity, their disappointments produce vexation; and from the confideration of both, how many daily become a prey to gloom and melancholy !

On thefe, and many other accounts, which

need

IX.

need not be mentioned (for experience will DISC. too foon teach the youngest among you) the state of a Christian in this life is by the Scriptures reprefented under that of a mariner in a tempeft, longing for a fight of the haven; of a soldier in camp, defiring to hear of peace, and to receive a final discharge from his warfare; of a labourer, bearing in the field the burden and heat of the day, waiting impatiently for the cool and comfortable evening, which fhall release him, and fend him home to quiet and repofe. Hence the great object pointed out to us is reft: we are directed to confider, and derive confolation and encouragement, during our labours, from the confideration of that reft of God himself, after his work of creation; that of his people in Canaan, after their sojournings in the wilderness; and that of Christ, after his toilfome life, and painful death. We are affured, there ftill remaineth a rest, the fulness and accomplishment of all others, for the people of God in heaven, when their labours likewife shall have been terminated upon earth. And we hear, un

IX.

DISC. der both Teftaments, the aspirations of holy perfons after it, complaining that they dwell with Mefech; that their fojournings are prolonged; praying for the wings of a dove, that they may fly away to it; defiring to depart, and to be with Chrift; weary of things, even the best things, below; and seeking earnestly the things above, where he fitteth.

Let us not, however, when we think of this reft, think of it as a mere negative state, as a state of dull fleep and infenfibility. It is a rest attended with pleasure; the reft of a weary flock, in green paftures, befide the waters of comfort; Eden blooms anew, with it's Tree and it's rivers; the Lamb leads his followers to living fountains of waters of waters flowing from the throne of God, and confequently impregnated with all the bleffings and glories of eternity.

I fay glories, as well as bleffings; for as the attitude in which our Lord is described by the Apostle, that of fitting, denotes Reft;

IX.

Reft; by the place, "the right hand of DISC.
"God," is denoted Honour: the former
promises the bleffings of his peace; the
latter, the glories of his kingdom.

Reft and honour, among men, are not often companions. Difquietude attends height of character, rank, and station, both in the pursuit, left it should not be attained, and in the poffeffion, left it should be lost again. But of the honour which cometh from God this cannot be faid. It is always bestowed on the penitent, the humble, and the faithful servant of his heavenly master; and when bestowed, can no more be taken from him. The crown is immortal as the donor of it. "When the breath of man,

on which depends all fublunary fame, "goeth

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forth, he turneth again to his earth; and then, all his thoughts"-those of the giver, as well as those of the receiver-" perish. "Bleffed therefore is he," and he only, "who hath the God of Jacob for his help, and whofe hope is in the Lord, his God."