These are not, however, the only kinds of rest.-There is one of a more inviting nature. It is the rest of the christian. For "there remaineth a rest to the people of God." But what is this rest? where is it to be enjoyed?" and for whom does it remain ?

What is this rest? All are sometimes indulged with repose. The apostle spoke of a rest which remains for the people of God. It is then something different from that which is bestowed upon all. The rest of mankind generally may be called bodily, or at most mental. With both of these, that of the christian combines a rest of the heart. It is a rest in Jesus, a reliance on the great High Priest who offered himself for our justification. It is a peaceful acquiescence in the government of God, with an assurance that He will do all things well. It is a heart to say, and liberty to say, Holy, holy Lord God Almighty; and, "worthy is the Lamb that was slain." The rest that is enjoyed by other men is short. That of the christian is eternal. Not like a night of pleasant dreams which are to be dissipated when the morning comes, the glory of that rest shall last forever. If it were soon to pass away, there could be no propriety in exibiting it to the christian's view as an ample recompense for every suffering. Jesus died to purchase the rest which remains for the christian. The Saviour's sufferings were worth too much to receive any thing short of an infinite recompense. But if all the effects produced by his death were, after a short time, or after a long time to be done away, would he not have reason to say that he had died in vain ? But we know, for God has told us, that "the righteous shall go into life eternal."-By many declarations in the Bible it is made evident that those who once enter in shall go no more out of the "rest which remains for the people of God."

Where then is this rest, and when will it come? Is it in this world, in the grave, or in a world beyond the grave? No one will call so pure and perfect a rest his own, if it is to be found in this The christian, has world. Here sin disturbs every tranquil hour enemies who would destroy all his peace; and not only destroy it here, but would prevent him from seeking that eternal rest which God has prepared for those who love him. The prince of this world is the prince of darkness. He is the leader of the christian's enemies. No fair spot on earth can be found to which one may retire and be secure from this adversary of God and man-In all places, and at all times, he is present, and would decoy the followers of the Lamb to that world of woes, of whose wretched inhabitants it is said, "and they have no rest, day nor night." There are moments when the heart feels as if it were almost in the world of rest. But these are not earthly moments. They are shadows of what is yet to come. They are lights which enliven the darkness of our path, and then leave us to the conviction that this is not a world of rest. We have called the christian's rest eternal; but if he is to enjoy it now, what will become of him when "the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat ?"

Is it then in the grave? All will sleep in the grave-But there remaineth a rest to the people of God. Were it merely the grave, the christian's rest would be no better than that of others. It would hardly be a consolation to any one, to know that in a few years his troubles and his joys would cease, and he should be no more forever.

It is then a rest beyond the grave, a rest in that heavenly world, which is so often described in the word of God. In that world, the chief blessedness of which is, that holiness and God are there-there are no enemies to harass; all is perfect friendship. The blessed inhabitants of that world are continually seeking each other's happiness. The King of Heaven is a friend to those who enter the promised rest. Having safely carried them through this world, having never left nor forsaken them, He will not suffer any thing to hurt them, when they have at length arrived at the sacred realm of His glory.

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But who are to enjoy this rest? It is a "rest which remains for, the people of God." The marks which distinguish the christian's character have often been exhibited. But what are the peculiar qualifications necessary to entitle one to the heavenly rest?" Those who from this world to rest in heaven, must have been sinners. Sin is one thing from which they will rest. But if they had not been sinners, although they might be admitted to the world of holiness, yet to them it would not be a world of rest. It does not follow, because none but sinners rest in heaven, that all sinners will be admitted there. If sin were the only requisite, then the greater the sin, the greater the preparation for a holy rest. Something besides sin is necessary: it is to forsake sin and become holy. While wholly under the power of sin we cannot love holiness. But we must love holiness in order to love the Christian's rest, and we must love that rest or it will be no rest for us.

Those who will rest in beaven must have been afflicted: all are sometimes afflicted. They certainly should not be exempted, whose life is merely a state of trial, preparatory to their becoming inhabitants of their final, their eternal home. Their sorrows are often numerous, for " through much tribulation do we enter into the kingdom of heaven."

Those who rest," rest from their labours." Rest always implies previous fatigue: to be fatigued we must labour. People sometimes complain that they have nothing to do. In our Master's service there is no want of employment. There is as much as we can possibly perform. We are not placed in a world where sorrows abound, that we may neglect to comfort the wretched. We are not placed in the midst of immortal souls, to suffer them to die without making one exertion for their salvation. God has not exhibited his character to us that we only may admire it; we are expected to endeavour to lead others to the contemplation of the same glorious object. We often feel when we have done one thing, that that is enough for us, and that we now have full liberty to be indolent. But we mistake: we have not a moment to lose, nor any strength to spare. All our exertions are required for the honour of God; all for the souls of men; all to prepare us for our eternal rest.

It is strange that those who look forward to the Christian's rest should ever murmur that they cannot enjoy ease in this world. Who would think of saying to a man who had spent his days in idleness, soon your labours shall be accomplished and you shall rest. Would he not consider it mocking: he seeks no rest beyond what he now enjoys. He has already rested his faculties away. He would hardly know what was meant by the word rest. In some cases there is an excuse for inactivity; here, there is none. We need not do more than we can, and we certainly should rejoice to do as much as we can for that God whom it is our high privilege to serve. The assistance rendered is all we desire; the encouragements are more than we can number, and the reward is amply sufficient to repay us for every trial.

If this rest be what we hope, and believe, and know it is, it must be viewed with admiration and delight by all who are prepared to enjoy it. Few realize what it is to rest with Jesus-to rest, far away from this world of woe, in heaven, that land of perpetual delights-to rest from sin, that will be the sweetest part of the Christian's rest. Sin is what disturbs him more than any thing else, and it will be delightful to feel that he has done with it forever. The friends, with whom he shall meet in heaven, will seem doubly dear on account of his having before been surrounded with enemies. He will remember the sorrows of his dark pilgrimage through this world; and the light which beams from the King of Kings will seem more ineffably glorious. He will remember the time when he laboured and was heavy laden, and his rest in the Saviour's love will seem more inconceivably blessed.

Should we not be willing to do any thing and suffer any thing which is appointed us now, did we prize the rest which remains for the people of God? We should not complain that our lot is hard. Afflictions would be nothing to bear. We should feel that our sorrows endure but for a moment, and that a whole life of pain was happiness if it helped to prepare us for an eternal rest. We will try to think more of that eternal rest; and that it may affect our hearts and lead us the more cheerfully to endure the afflictions, and perform, the duties of life, we will often remember that it is said of the happy ones who have attained to it, "He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them: they shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them to living fountains of waters, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."

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To be forever exiled from such a rest must be dreadful. tion and labour, and the persecution of enemies, we could bear a little while, but to bear them forever, and that without the comforting presence of the Saviour, will be difficult: the thought of it is insupportable. Yet dreadful as such a doom would be, it is far from being impossible that it may be ours. Many, undoubtedly, have cheated themselves out of the rest which remains for the people of God. We are in danger of doing the same. True, there is nothing which need prevent our enjoying that rest, yet when we view the

rock on which so many wretched souls have perished, "Let us fear lest a promise being left us of entering into rest, any of us should seem to come short of it"-lest it be said of us, "So they could not enter in, because of unbelief.”

ON THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORTING THE GOSPEL MINISTRY.

NO one who seriously contemplates the influence of religious institutions, can for a moment doubt of their importance, considered merely in a temporal view. The restraints they impose on the sinful propensities of men, have the most salutary influence on the peace and good order of the community. The man, who habitually attends upon the preaching of the Gospel ;-hears his duty faithfully pointed out;-has his sins clearly exhibited to view, and the sanctions of the divine law made known, and enforced upon him, must break through stronger barriers in order to lead a life of immorality, than the man who never hears the Gospel preached. He is hardened indeed, who can go from the house of God, and immediately engage in sinful practices.

The tone of morals in that town which enjoys the stated means of grace, is much higher than in that which is destitute of them. For proof of this fact, we need only to look to those places which have been for a long time deprived of religious privileges. The moral and intellectual character of such a people, shows that the oil of the sanctuary has ceased to burn among them. The Sabbath is generally disregarded, only as it is turned into a day of pleasure and amusement. Men become hardened and insensible to divine things;-cease to feel the weight of moral obligation, and are thus prepared to sin without restraint.

But when we contemplate religious institutions, as connected with our eternal existence, how does every other consideration dwindle into insignificance! When we call to mind the truth, that it is in the Gospel only that life and immortality are brought to light; and that by the foolishness of preaching God saves them that believe, who can for a moment think of being destitute of this important means of their salvation? Who, that looks over the record of departed days, and finds in it the names of those who have become heirs of glory, and at the same time reads that the preaching of the Gospel has been the means of their conversion, would not rather deprive his children, or himself, of any temporal good, than live without a spiritual guide. If we, or our children are deprived of the stated means of grace, we are destitute of that which is of infinitely greater value than all the treasures of Peru: for these treasures perish; but the Gospel endures unto eternal life. Whosoever then would provide the most effectual means for the suppression of vice, the promotion of correct morals, of establishing a happy state of society, and of securing the salvation of his own soul, and the souls of others, let him support the preaching of the Gospel.

If it be necessary, sacrifices must be made for this purpose. Is the Gospel of such infinite value, not only as it concerns this life, but the life to come? Who, then, can be unwilling, though it cost him some exertion, to do his part toward supporting a Minister? The salvation to which we are invited was purchased at an infinite expense, even the precious blood of the Son of God. Shall we, for the sake of possessing a little more of this world's goods, neglect to furnish ourselves with the means of hearing this salvation proclaimed? And shall we, rather than leave our children, and those who come after us, a smaller inheritance on earth, deprive them of almost the only safeguard against vice, moral degradation, and endless ruin? Look at your children, and say if you can sit quietly down, and see them exposed to temptation and error, without making an effort to provide a Pastor who shall guide them in the ways of truth and righteousness?

Divine Providence has uniformly blessed those nations and churches, who have been most careful to preserve and perpetuate, his ordinances. For evidence of this, we need only refer to history; and more especially to the history of the Jews. When they were most particular in their observance of religious institutions, they were most prosperous: while they preserved the worship of Jehovah pure, they overcame their enemies, and struck terror into the nations around them. But when they neglected the worship of God, and esteemed his service a burden; when they preferred their sinful ease and pleasures to obedience to the divine commands, then they were put to flight before their enemies, their country was desolated, and the most distressing calamities fell upon them.

But it is not necessary to multiply examples. Such is the regard of the Most High for his own glory, that we have the strongest reason to believe he does, even in this world, make a distinction between those who maintain, and those who utterly disregard his institutions. X.

SOLITARY HOURS-No. V.

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Distempered bodies and distempered minds.”

THE earliest state of the mind of man can be but imperfectly understood. We know, indeed, that " as the twig is bent the tree's inclined," but the secret power that gives the tender twig its bent, and that which weaves into its grain its stubbornness of direction, alike elude our severest attempts at discovery. Still, however, such investigations are not entirely without their benefit. For though the specific end be not obtained, nor the ultimate discovery made, many particulars are learned with regard to the human character, a knowledge of which amply repays the philosopher for the severest application of his powers, and may well reconcile him to his main disappointment. For who that traces back his inherent propensities, can