Chap. 10.] Is NOT ON EARTH. 157 hear? Surely that which aggravates cur sin and misery cannot be our rest. 7. To confirm all this, let us consult our own and others' experience. Millions have made trial, but did any ever find a sufficient rest for his soul on earth ? Delights I deny not but they have found, but rest and satisfaction they never found. And shall we think to find that which never man could find before us ? Ahab's kingdom is nothing to him without Naboth's vineyard; and did that satisfy him when he obtained it? Were you,like Noah's dove, to look through the earth for a resting-place, you would return confessing that youcould findnone. Go ask honor, Is there rest here ? You may as well rest on the top of tempestuous mountains, or in IEtna's flames. Ask riches, Is there rest here ? Even such as is in a bed of thorns. If you inquire for rest of worldly pleasure, it is such as the fish hath in swallowing the bait; when the pleasure is sweetest, death is nearest. Go to learning, and even to divine ordinances, and inquire whether there your souls may rest. You might indeed re- ceive 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 themselves, you would remain as rest- less as ever. How well might all these answer us, as Jacob did Rachel, " Am I in God's stead," that you come to me for soul-rest? Not all the states of men in the world; neither court nor country, towns nor cities, shops nor fields, treasures, libraries, solitude, society, studies, nor pulpits, can afford any such thing as this rest. If you could inquire of the dead of all generations, or of the living through all do- minions, they would all tell you, " Here is no rest." Or, if other men's experience move younot, take aview ofyour own. Can you remember the state that did fully satisfy. you ? or, if you could, will it prove lasting? I believe 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 themost miserable." If, then, either Scripture or reason, or the experience of ourselves and all the world, will convince us, we may see there is no resting here. And yet how guilty are the gene- rality of us of this sin ! How many halts and stops do we make, before we will make the Lord our rest ! Howmust God even drive us, and fire us out of every condition, lest we should sit down and rest there ! If he gives us prospe-
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