5ß THE EXCELLENCIES' OF state, age, hath variety of duties; so that every con- scientious Christian cries out " O the burthen ! O my weakness that makes it burthensome !" But our re- maining rest will ease us of the burthens. Once more, we shall rest from all these troublesome afflictions which necessarily accompany our absence from God. The trouble that is mixed in our desires and hopes, our longings and waitings, shall then cease. We shall no more look into our cabinet, and miss our treasure; into our hearts, and miss our Christ; no more seek him from ordinance to ordinance, but all be concluded in a most blessed and full enjoyment. ¢ 13. (9) The last jewel of our crown is, that it will be an everlasting rest. Without this all were comparatively nothing. The very thought of leav- ing it would embitter all our joys. It would be a hell in heaven, to think of once losing heaven ; as it would be a kind of heaven to the damned, had they but hopes of once escaping. Mortality is the disgrace of all sublunary delights. How it spoils our pleasure to see it dying in our hands ! But O blessed eternity ! where our lives are perplexed with no such thoughts, nor our joys interrupted with any such fears ! where we shall be pillars in the temple of God, and go no more out !(e) While we were servants, we held by lease, and that but for the . term of a transitory life; but the son abideth in the house for ever.(f) O my soul, let go thy dreams of present pleasures, andClose thy hold of earth and flesh. Study frequently, study thoroughly, this one word, eternity. What, live, and never die ! rejoice,, and ever rejoice ! O happy souls in hell,, should you but escape, after millions of ages! O miserable saints in heaven, should you be dispossessed, after the ages of a million of worlds ! This word, everlasting, contains the perfection of their torment, and our glory. O that the sinner would study this word; methinks it would startle him out of his dead sleep ! O that the gracious soul would study it, :methinks it `would re- vave him in his deepest agony !. " And must I, Lord, (e) Rev. in 1Z. (f) John vin. $5.
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