TO BE EXPECTED ON EARTH. 187 You may as well rest on the top of tempestuous mountains, or in Etna's flames. Ask riches, is there rest here ? Even such as is in a bed of thorns. If you enquire for rest of worldly pleasùre; it is such as the fish bath in swallowing the bait : when the pleasure is sweetest, death is nearest. Go to learn- ing, and even to divine ordinances, and inquire whether there your souls may rest ? You might in- deed receive from these an olive branch of hope, as they are means to your rest, and have relation to eternity ; but in regard of any satisfaction in them- selves, you would remain as restless as ever. How well might all these answer us, as Jacob did Rachael, Am I in God's stead, that you corne to me for soul - rest ? Not all the states of men in the world; nei- ther court nor country, towns nor cities, shops nor fields,. treasuries, libraries, solitude, society, studies, nor pulpits, can afford any such thing as this rest. If you would inquire of the dead of all generations, or of the living through all dominions, they would all tell you, " Here is no rest." Or if other men's ex- perience move you not, take` a view of your own. Can you remember the state that did fully satisfy you ? or if you could, will it prove lasting ? I be- lieve we may all say of our earthly rest, as Paul of our hope, If it were in this life only, we are of all men the most miserable. 18. If then either scripture or reason, or the experience of ourselves, and all the world, will sa- tisfy us, we may see there is no resting here. And yet how guilty are the generality of us of this sin ? How many halts and stops do we make, before we will make the Lord our rest ! How must God even drive us, and fire us out of every condition, lest we should sit down and rest there? If he gives us pros- perity, riches, or honour, we do in our hearts dance before them, as the Israelites before their calf, and say, These are thy gods ; and conclude it is good to be here. If he imbitter all these to us, how restless are. we till bur condition be sweetened, that we may
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