"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest "—"rest" from all the accusations of guilt and the torments of fear. For He sees that God his Saviour has surely "borne his grief and carried his sorrow;" he finds himself to be "reconciled to God by the death of His Son." This is the meaning of the Apostle when he says, "Being justified by faith we have peace with God."

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest"-"rest" from the memory of a sinful passion. "The wicked are like the troubled sea that cannot rest, which continually casteth up mire and dirt." "There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked." Sin is the worst kind of slavery, but henceforth the believer does not serve sin, though he finds a continual struggle and warfare. He is at rest from the bondage of corruption. Being upheld by God's free Spirit, he runs in the way of His commandments with enlargedness of heart.

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest"-"rest" from the anxieties that arise from our conditions in life. How miserable must that man be who sets his affections on things on the earth, seeing that his portion must be in perpetual danger. Whereas the believer has a treasure in heaven; he has a hope laid up for him in heaven; he has "an inheritence incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away" reserved in heaven for him. Therefore he has nothing to dread with regard to his main and principal treasure. Then also how miserable must that man be who is the sport of chance and accident, who knows nothing of a providence which is engaged to manage all his concerns! But the believer knows that his Father ordains "the bounds of his habitation;" that He measures out to him all his trials and all his comforts too. He knows that "all things work together for his good."

"Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest "-"rest" from the troubles and temptations of time; this is the rest of eternity, "there remaineth a rest for the people of God." "Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord; yea, saith the Spirit, for they rest from their labours." They shall enter into peace. When? "Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace." No earlier? O yes, they "who believe do enter into rest ;" they enjoy the earnests and foretastes of heaven.

We have endeavoured to apply this subject all through, and

yet there are some things which ought to be briefly noticed for the improvement of this. The first thing is an inquiry, Why does He invite those only who "are weary and heavy laden ?" To which we say, Because they only will receive the invitation. "The full soul loatheth the honeycomb, but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet." They too are more in danger of excluding themselves from it. But as Watts says,

"No mortal has a just pretence

To perish in despair."

The second thing is a caution. You are liable to be mistaken as to the nature of the rest you possess. "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." So says sin-so says infidelity-so says the worldand so says the devil. He has often said this, for the strong man armed loves to keep his palace and his goods in peace.

The third thing is an admonition. Some of you have long made light of it. The Saviour, however, still addresses you, and says, "Come unto me;" but you know not how long He may continue to do this. We therefore say to you, "Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near." Remember you must die, and to enter into another world before you are prepared would be an awful thing indeed. "He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son hath not life, but the wrath of God abideth in him." Do you question whether He will receive you after His own invitation? Remember that "all the fitness He requireth, is to feel your need of Him." Do not say, therefore, you are too bad, or too guilty to go to Him; but because you are so guilty you must go. Do not say "I am pressed down with a consciousness of my sins, I cannot go ;" but rather say, "I am so pressed down that I must go." Well and why should you not? He stands ready to save you. Why tarriest thou, therefore? As I look round this large congregation, I trust I see some who feel contrite in their hearts-some who are convinced of their sins; painful as is your experience, it is a very blessed state; for though the world thinks you are going out of your senses, though yourself think you are likely to be distracted or thrown into despair, God looks at you with pleasure, and says, "To that man will I look, who is of a humble and contrite spirit, and who trembleth at my word." Jesus calls you to Himself, and says He will give you rest.

Then some of you have this rest already. You "who be lieve do enter into rest," and are enabled to "rejoice in hope

of the glory of God." What have you to complain of since He hath promised He will "give grace and glory, and will withhold no good things from them that walk uprightly?" Do you fear your trials? These are but for the moment, and your Saviour is coming soon "to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe." But surely you will not wait for that day before you admire Him. What a Saviour have you! How glorious is His Person! How excellent is His offices and grace! What boundless resources has He! What power in His arm, and what love in His heart! And can you help admiring Him now? The more you know of Him, the more you will admire Him, but be not satisfied with the admiration; imitate and love Him. He is placed before you as your example, and "let the same mind therefore be in you which was in Christ Jesus." Endeavour to afford rest to any around you, in your measure and degree. Be a little like Him who hath said, "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Thus may you "be followers of God as dear children."

98

XIII.

MERCY ON SEA AND LAND.

(Preached on Sunday Evening, September 13th, 1846.)

And Peter answered Him and said, Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth Thou art the Son of God. And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret. And when the men of that place had knowledge of Him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto Him all that were dis eased: and besought Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.-MATTHEW xiv. 28-36.

A STORM at sea is one of the sublimest spectacles in all nature; hence it frequently employs the painter's pencil and the poet's pen. What can be more beautiful than the representation of David ?_"They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters: these see the works of the LORD, and His wonders in the deep. For He commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end. Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and He bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so He bringeth them unto their desired haven."

Matthew has furnished us with two very fine sea-pieces. Both happened on the same lake-the lake of Galilee. In

both our Lord's disciples were on board; in both they sailed at His command; in both they encountered a storm, and were filled with dismay. In the first our Saviour was with them, but He was asleep, and they went to Him, and awoke Him, saying, "Master, carest Thou not that we perish?" In the second He was absent; but He soon reached them, and, as we have read, He hushed their fears and delivered them from their danger. Then it was that Peter preferred the request which we find at the beginning of our text for this evening. Our text contains three parts. The first regards the request of Peter; the second, the interposition, of Christ; and the third the arrival of the company at the land whither they would.

I. THE REQUEST OF PETER.

The biography of the Scripture is very brief, but impartial and discriminating. Whenever Peter is introduced, he appears before us in his own character-that is, with a sanguine complexion and strong passions: with a mind ardent and bold, he discovered more zeal than prudence, speaking first, and reflecting afterwards. Such men as these have their importance in the state and in the church. It is not good for such to be alone. Brandy requires water. You always find John therefore accompanying Peter. Peter could animate John and John could temper Peter. The disadvantage of such a disposition as Peters is this, that it always renders the possessor liable to err on the side of doing too much, and to get into difficulties and embarrassments. This was the case with Peter in a measure in the instance before us, for as soon as Our Saviour said, "Be not afraid, it is I," Peter answered him and said, "Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water."

There was affection in this. It reminds us of another instance, when our Saviour appears to several of His disciples at the lake of Tiberius. The disciple whom Jesus loved said unto Peter, "It is the Lord." Now, when Peter heard that it was Jesus, he girt his fisher's coat about him and cast himself into the sea to go to Jesus. Love longs to be near the object of its affection. As soon as he saw the Saviour he wished to fly into His arms, but surely there was no need of such a proposal. We are not to be afraid of our trials, but we are not to seek after them. We are to take up our cross when it is in our way, but we are not to go out of our road in search of difficulties and dangers. We see, therefore, a very great difference between the first and second era of Christianity. What