148 THE SAINTS' REST [Chap. IO. your allegiance to God, as you will very shortly answer the contrary at your peril, that you will neither refuse nor ne- glect this most necessary duty. If you are not willing to do it, now you know it to be so great a duty, you are rebel;, and no true subjects of Jesus Christ. If you are willing, but know not how, I will add a few words of direction to help you. Lead them, by your own example, to prayer, reading, and other religious duties; inform their under- standings ; store their memories; rectify their wills; quick- en their affections; keep tender their consciences; restrain their tongues, and teach themgracious speech ; reform and watch over their outward conversation. To these ends, get them Bibles and pious books, and see that they read them. Examine them often what they learn ; especially spend the Lord's day in this work, and suffer them not to spend it in sports or idleness. Show them the meaning of what they read or learn. Instruct them out of the Holy Scriptures. Keep them out of evil company, and acquaint them with the godly. Especially show them the necessity, excellency, and pleasure of serving God, and labor to fix all upon their hearts. CHAPTER, X. THE SAINTS' REST IS NOT TO EE EXPECTED ON EARTH'. In order to show the sin andfolly ofexpectingrest here, I. The reasona- bleness ofpresent afflictions is considered; 1. That they are the way to rest; 2. Keep us frommistaking our rest ; 3. From losing our way to it,; 4. Quicken our pace toward it; 5. Chiefly incommode ourfesh ;. 6. Under them the sweetest foretastes of rest are often enjoyed. II. How unreasonable to rest in present enjoyments; 1. That it is idola- try; 2. That it contradicts God's end ingiving them; 3. Is the way to have them refused, withdrawn, or imbittered; 4. That to be suffered to take up our rest here is the greatest curse ; 5. That it is seeking rest where it isnot; 6. That the creatures, without God, would aggravate our misery; 7..f'nd all this is confirmed by experience. III. How unreasonable our unwillingness to die, andpossess the saints' rest, is largely considered. WE are not yet come to our resting-place. bath it re- main ? How great, then, is our sin and folly to seek and expect it here ! Where shall we find the Christian that de- serves not this reproof? We would all have continual pros- perity, because it is easy and pleasing to the flesh; but we
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